The Irish Times – Staff Writer
“Edd Stockwell, co-founder of Tutorfair.com, which makes it easy to find good local tutors, says: “From Facebook’s chief executive delivering a 20-minute speech entirely in Mandarin for the Chinese president’s recent visit, China’s influence on the global market has never been so strong. “Alongside this, we’ve found the appetite for students learning Mandarin has also rocketed – recent statistics show a 24 per cent increase in learning the language. “So why is it so important for children to learn? Simple – invest in their future. China will play a major role in world affairs in the future and business leaders are looking for people who can speak Mandarin and operate successfully in a Chinese cultural context..”(more)