The courses are being offered online as well as in person at cultural hubs — called Open Education Centers — which are being launched at sites in more than half of the countries on the continent, mostly in partnership with local universities. In Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy, free Russian classes were first unveiled in March last year. Hundreds of students in Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire, and Nigeria have signed up for these courses while Open Education Centers were launched last year in Egypt, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Tunisia and DR Congo. And a memorandum of understanding was signed in September to establish a center in South Africa. Russian officials have said Moscow plans to locate its centers in 28 African countries. Putin laid out plans to strengthen Russia’s relationship with the continent through language and education during a speech at last year’s Russia-Africa summit in St. Petersburg. He emphasized the role of the education centers and announced an increase in scholarships for Africans to study in Russia.
SOURCE: SEMAFOR
