Equatorial Guinea has officially announced the teaching of the Portuguese language in the education system.

The Ambassador of Equatorial Guinea said that his government had decided to officially introduce the Portuguese language into the education system, starting from the next academic year, with the involvement of specially trained teachers.

“We are implementing specific initiatives for the teaching of the Portuguese language. In the next academic year, which will soon begin, the Portuguese language will be formally introduced into Equatorial Guinea’s formal education system, with teachers specially trained for this function. “, Tito Mba Ada, Ambassador of this African country in Lisbon, said to Luce at the Freixo de Espada à Cinta, in the Braganca district, as part of the Guerra Junqueiro Lusofonia 2022 Literary Prize ceremony.

The diplomat also explained that the importance of spreading the Portuguese language in his country is “at its highest” since Equatorial Guinea officially adopted the Portuguese language as part of its accession to the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries (CPLP) in 2014. during the summit, which was held in Dili, Timor-Leste.

“We have a core of national teachers, future teachers of Portuguese, who have received special training to teach Portuguese. The government of my country has adopted language policy strategies at the National University of Equatorial Guinea by creating a degree in Portuguese.” – Nominated by Tito Mba Ada.

According to the Ecuadorian-Guinean Ambassador in Lisbon and the CPLP mission, other measures have been taken in the media of Equatorial Guinea to promote the Portuguese language, such as public television news or feature programs promoting the Portuguese language.

“These are measures taken by the government of Equatorial Guinea to spread the Portuguese language. At the same time, civil servants are being trained to obtain qualifications through the Portuguese language, but in a more specific way. This means that we use the Portuguese language on different fronts: in school, in the civil service and in civil society,” the diplomat concluded.

Tito Mba Ada also mentioned that learning a language like Portuguese has no end, it is a situation that passes from generation to generation.

“We never learned Portuguese at school. Now our young people are already studying Portuguese at school and that the situation will improve thanks to the younger students. On the other hand, Equatorial Guinea sends young people to study in Portugal, Brazil and other CPLP countries,” he explained.

The ambassador also said that the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Crafts Development of Equatorial Guinea is providing Portuguese language training for hotel workers in order to spread the language on the streets of this African country.

“In order to carry out our work in the study and dissemination of the Portuguese language in Equatorial Guinea, we have the support of various organizations such as the Camões Institute and the bilateral cooperation of the CPLP member countries,” stressed Tito Mba Ada.

For his part, Equatorial Guinean Minister of Culture and Tourism Prudencio Botei Sobole told Lusa that there have been cultural ties between different countries in the past and joining the CPLP has strengthened those ties.

“I consider all this to be the bonds of unity of our ancestors within the current community. [CPLP] which we represent,” the minister said.

Prudencio Botey Sobole mentioned that Portuguese is the third official language of Equatorial Guinea, and with the adoption of this language, the Portuguese-speaking countries are moving along.

Ecuadorian-Guinean writer Angela Nzumbi, winner of the 2020 Guerra Junqueiro Lusofonia Literary Prize, said she longs to see her books translated into Portuguese.

The writer also promised a book written in Portuguese, but admitted that she would have to study the language more deeply first.