About 100 primary and high schools in Northeast China's Liaoning Province hope to give some courses in foreign languages starting this spring, according to provincial education department officials.

With courses such as mathematics, geography and chemistry about to be taught in foreign languages, the initiative can be seen as a pilot movement to further promote bilingual education in the province, education officials said.

The courses will be taught mostly in English, with some in Japanese, Russian, German and French, according to officials.

In addition to qualified local teachers and returning students, the province also plans to employ about 500 foreign teachers to ensure the quality of the teaching.

Liaoning will also introduce in some course books and teaching management systems from foreign countries, education officials say.

(Xinhua News Agency January 29, 2002)