By LACHLAN MOORHEAD
IT WAS an opportunity that none of the students could pass up.
The four Grade 6 students from Hillsmeade Primary School Narre Warren South have only recently returned from a study tour to China, where they were accompanied by their principal Deborah Harry.
Ms Harry said the tour was organised by the Victorian Principals Association, in conjunction with the Jiangsu Education Services for International Exchange.
“The children spent 10 days at Jinling Primary School in Nanjing learning about Chinese language, culture, history, art and sport,” she said.
“The closing ceremony on day 10 showcased the children’s immersion into the culture when they sang and danced to the Jasmine Flower song.
“Thirty eight other children from four Victorian schools also travelled in the group.
“After a 295 kilometre per hour trip on the bullet train, the group travelled to Changzhou where a sister school relationship was developed between Hillsmeade Primary and Changzhou No. 2 Experimental School.”
Ms Harry said the recent trip left her in no doubt about the decision to teach Mandarin Chinese at Hillsmeade, starting next year.
“Introducing Mandarin in 2015 will provide all Hillsmeade students the opportunity to learn another language which can support the children’s thinking and communication skills,” she said.
