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January 2011
Dear Ps. Francis Yip & SJAG congregation,
The past year had been fruitful, giving us a major breakthrough. We have managed to sign a 10-year agreement with the Yunnan Ministry of Education and Yunnan Provincial Ethnic Affairs Commission, giving us a bridgehead into our work here in China. First covering Bai and Dai literacy projects, then to other minority groups in Yunnan and ultimately to all rest of the minority groups in China (estimated 70 million people).
This agreement is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get a sustainable government ownership and expansions across China. It is like a blank cheque for our work here. We hope that what we do in Yunnan will serve as a launching pad for future bilingual education work in other provinces in China which will hopefully become a showcase of bilingual education work to Southeast Asia and the rest of the world.
The winds of change is here with the State Ministry of Education asking all provinces, Autonomous Regions and Municipalities in the country to submit to the ministry on all Bilingual Education projects done at every level. Our 10-year agreement with the relevant government departments is timely to position ourselves.
End of October 2011, we will have the first International Symposium on Zero Bilingual Education in Yunnan. The events are intended to attract about 250 to 300 participants. Targeted audiences are the education ministry officials, minority work officials, scholars, academicians and international bodies who are interested in China Bilingual educations work and progress. The project is timely held to disseminate the vision, mission, ethos and values on Zero Barrier Bilingual Education under the SIL guidance and frameworks to the intended policy-makers, policy-implementers and friendly parties.
Lastly we need all your prayers. We enclose a small gift as a token of our gratitude of partnership.
Martin, Diana & Joyous Chow |
