If the recent experience of an educational delegation from China at Prague's Brána jazyků Primary School is any indication, the burgeoning Eastern giant will be facing some stiff competition in its efforts to bring the Chinese language to the Czech Republic.

A group of 18 Chinese Education Ministry officials visited the school Oct. 5 with the intention of researching local teaching methods and the Czech education system. The delegation also made a spontaneous offer to finance Chinese classes at Brána jazyků, but, at least for now, that looks unlikely to materialize. Many students said they prefer learning English, not Chinese, as a second language.

"I like English, this is my favorite subject, I have the best marks in it," explained 9-year-old Hae-Ryon Choi, who is in the fourth grade at Brána jazyků.

Renáta Nechanická, deputy head of the school, admitted that, while it was an interesting offer, it was probably more suitable for high schools or universities.

"The kids were really excited about the Chinese writing — that was really interesting for them, as it is very special, but, when it comes to the grammar and day-to-day work, their interest drops," Nechanická said.

And the language barrier could pose another problem. The teacher brought in by the Chinese ministry would have to speak at least a little Czech in order to work effectively with the students, Nechanická pointed out. And if the teacher didn't speak Czech, a translator would have to be hired.

Brána jazyků, which is divided into two facilities on Vojtěšská and Mikulandská streets in Prague's New Town, may not have jumped at the delegation's offer, but that hasn't discouraged the Chinese officials who also visited schools in Austria and Italy during their European trip.

"If they are interested in the Chinese course [anytime], we will send the teacher and pay for all the materials connected with the course," said Li Cai, the head of the Chinese Embassy's education office in Prague. "We want to encourage more students to study Chinese."

Students welcomed the visitors with the well-known elementary school song "Strýček Kuba," which they sang in Czech, German, English and Chinese.

Marek Černík, the school's English teacher who conducted the singing, said students really enjoyed the song, their first brush with Chinese.

"They themselves learned it by heart the day they were given the text and were looking forward to performing it," Černík said.

Once the entertainment died down, the delegates spent a lot of time asking some very pointed questions about the Czech Republic's education system. Questions ranged from textbook publishing to schools' finances. They were also very curious about foreign-language instruction and asked to observe English classes at different levels, Nechanická said.

In China, children start learning English in the fifth grade, when they are between 11 and 12 years old. Czech students, by contrast, start their first foreign language at the age of 8, and, by 11 or 12, are introduced to a second one.