Growing interest in Chinese language highlights teacher shortage in Egypt

Students perform during a Chinese story-telling competition, Nov 28, 2015.  [Photo/Provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Ghanem said Port Said University, Suez University and Bani Suef University are also considering opening Chinese departments.

"Chinese teachers are far from enough. Though the Chinese government has sent volunteers to assist Chinese teaching in some universities, a lot more are still needed as many Egyptian Chinese teachers are quite recent graduates and they are lacking experience," said Ghanem.

Because of the scarcity of Chinese teachers, especially experienced ones, Ghanem also works as director for Chinese departments in other universities. From 2005 to 2011, she held the post as director for Chinese department of Suez Canal University and now she is still director of two Chinese departments in Fayoum University, one in the Faculty of Tourism and one in the Faculty of Literature.

"As Ain Shams University has rich experience of Chinese teaching, so universities usually turn to it for help when they start a Chinese department," she said, suggesting that she is not the only one who has to work outside the university.