The Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) continues to bridge cultures in Saint Lucia in many ways, including offering classes in Mandarin to people interested in learning the language.
On Friday morning, September 6, 2024, seventy-one participants who were successful at taking the Test of Chinese as a Foreign Language (TOCFL) recently were presented with their certificates at a special ceremony held in the St. Joseph’s Convent auditorium.
The TOCFL is not only a language proficiency examination, but also a bridge between cultures, a pathway for new opportunities in academic, professional, and personal growth. People who pass the examination not only prove their ability to communicate in Mandarin, but are also able to show their openness to new experiences, respect for a different culture, and readiness to engage with the world in a more connected and meaningful way.
The participants included 41 Form Three students from St. Joseph’s Convent, 13 students and two teachers from St. Mary’s College, 12 students from Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, 1 official from the Immigration Department, 1 official from the Customs Department, and 1 person from the private sector. Most of them were present on the day to receive their certificates.
During the ceremony, the participants were commended for their outstanding efforts and dedication in learning a new language. Their teachers and mentors – Mr. Andres Chi and Ms. Nana Lin – who are Mandarin teachers from the Taiwan Technical Mission were also praised for their guidance.
H.E. Peter Chia-Yen Chen, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Lucia, said this year marked the third time the TOCFL had been held in Saint Lucia, and it is also the most participated one so far. He added that over the past two years, the Saint Lucia Ministry of Education’s Mandarin Pioneer Program has been successfully implemented at both St. Joseph’s Convent and St. Mary’s College, supported by Ministry of Education and under Mandarin Teacher Nana Lin’s instruction.
“Additionally, the course cooperated between the Taiwan Embassy, the Ministry of Public Service of Saint Lucia, the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force, and Sir Arthur Lewis Community College, with Teacher Andres Chi’s guidance, has significantly contributed to this year’s outstanding TOCFL exam results. The pass rate this year reached 98.61%.”
Ambassador Chen stated that while Mandarin is a difficult language to learn, it was admirable that the participants were willing to dedicate time to learning a foreign language in addition to their already demanding studies and work.
“I believe this is a worthwhile investment,” Ambassador Chen told the participants. “Learning a new language, especially one spoken by one-fifth of the world’s population, will greatly benefit your future career opportunities, networking, and broadening of horizons.”
Ambassador Chen noted that some of the 35 Saint Lucian students who received the Taiwan Scholarship and ICDF Scholarship this year learned Mandarin from Teacher Andres Chi and graduated from Sir Arthur Lewis Community College.
“We hope very soon to see Teacher Nana Lin’s students become scholarship recipients after completing your tertiary education,” Ambassador Chen said. “I am also pleased to inform you that starting this month, with the Ministry of Education’s assistance, TaiwanICDF has dispatched a third Mandarin teacher at the Vieux Fort Comprehensive Secondary School, allowing students in the southern part of Saint Lucia to also have the opportunity to learn Mandarin.”
In her remarks, Mrs. Rosaria Auguste, Principal of St. Joseph’s Convent, congratulated the participants on their success, and expressed thanks to the Mandarin teachers, and the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
“This accomplishment is a testament to your hard work, perseverance, and commitment to mastering a language that opens doors to new cultures and new opportunities. I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Republic of China (Taiwan) for their unwavering support of SJC and the other students of Saint Lucia, and for recognizing the importance of fostering cross-cultural understanding.”
Auguste had some more encouraging words for the participants: “May this achievement inspire you to pursue further excellence and develop your desire to explore other countries and other cultures beyond our shores.”
Auguste also expressed gratitude to Mr. Leonard Robinson, Curriculum Officer for Modern Languages in the Ministry of Education, who was present at the certificate ceremony, for providing constant support to the Modern Languages Department at the St. Joseph’s Convent.
Also present at the certificate ceremony were Mr. Daniel Lee, Chief of the Taiwan Technical Mission; Mrs. Selena Chang, Deputy Counselor at the Taiwan Embassy; Mrs. Sharon Elizee, Vice Principal of St. Joseph’s Convent; Mr. Neal Fontenelle, Principal of St. Mary’s College; Dr. Kathy Depradine, Dean of Faculty of Humanities and Science, Sir Arthur Lewis Community College (SALCC); Ms. Mesha King, Training Officer at the Ministry of Public Service Training Division; Mandarin Teachers Nana Lin and Andres Chi; and other students from St. Joseph’s Convent.