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DAR ES SALAAM. — Authorities in Tanzania said on Tuesday they were ready to support the government of South Africa’s move to teach Kiswahili in its schools.

Tanzanian Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, William Ole-Nasha, said the east African nation was ready to offer South Africa Kiswahili teachers.

South Africa Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga said that Kiswahili has been approved to be taught at public, private and independent schools as an optional language for learners.

Ole-Nasha said the Kiswahili Council of Tanzania and the Tanzania Professional Swahili Institute were ready to grab the opportunity because they have enough teachers.

“We are aware that we will face competition from other countries, including Kenya but I am confident that many Tanzanians will be employed because we have the best Kiswahili teachers in the world,” said Ole-Nasha.

Selemani Sewangi, the Secretary General of the Kiswahili Council of Tanzania, said the move by the South African government to teach Kiswahili will open employment doors for Tanzanian Kiswahili teachers.

Kiswahili is Tanzania’s official language spoken by almost all Tanzanians regardless of their over 120 tribes. Kiswahili is also regarded as a unifying language in the country of more than 50 million people. – Xinhua