Editor's note: Liu Weichao, a deputy to the NPC and principal of Changsha Yali Middle School, proposed that English classes be cut from the curriculum in the primary and middle school. Xu Jin, a member of the 13th National Committee of the CPPCC, said in a proposal English should be removed as a core subject for Chinese primary and secondary school students. Xu said English and other foreign languages should also not be included as compulsory subjects for the national college entrance exam. Should English be scrapped? Readers share their opinions.
Bloke
Definitely. Having English in the curriculum means every Chinese student wastes thousands of hours over 8-10 years studying a language only 10 percent of them can use well or will ever use. English courses should be optional and focus on communication skills that can be used rather than just on passing a test. There are also thousands of private language schools that proudly say they will help children pass an exam, not to use English with a foreigner, and parents waste money on those schools for a skill that is never used again. It's ludicrous.
Ian
The option for parents to have their children learn a foreign language I think, is important. Perhaps compulsory until a certain age where it's a little more clear as to what career the child may choose and of course their learning ability. I taught a few kids English at one time "unpaid", I found most of them just memorized the pages without understanding the words' use, interesting these kids were supposedly being taught English at school and could only say hello, and my name is, so it may be more important to ensure the kids are actually being taught.
juzunme
If Chinese in China only want to live, work and do business in China, then the only language they need is Chinese. However we are now living in an interconnected world - connected by transport, internet and ideas. The only way to catch up with the rest of the world is to learn the language most people are currently using. The English language is not simply a language for speaking to your English speaking employer or business partner.
There are two very important reasons why you learn the language. Much of the latest research is written in English. If you cannot read the research the first time it is published, you will always be one step behind. Knowing the language, understanding the concept presented by the research paper and discussing it with researchers around the world is the way to stay ahead in innovation. It is time to move from being a factory to the world to a research capital of the world.
Language is also the key to understanding someone else culture, to get to know another person better, to build a stronger connection. Developing business around the world requires business relationships to be built, and the most common language to reach out to other nationalities is English. Having a common language brings two people closer together, which an interpreter can never achieve.
sfphoto
There is no need for China to become a bilingual society, proficient in a foreign language such as English. What China needs are professionals in select industries involved in foreign trade or international affairs who understand foreign languages well enough to be able to speak, read or write them in a professional capacity. In such cases, a foreign language requirement for Chinese students is necessary before they are allowed to graduate with their academic degree.
lostfornames
I am in agreement of scrapping the score-intensive approach. It won't matter how high your test score is or how good your grammar is if you can't use the language to communicate properly, it's all wasted effort. If that is the case just being able to read, write and understand basic English is enough.
faynew
The meaning of education is not only to let students be skillful or specialize in some areas, but also expose them to great minds and ideas from all around the world. Knowing a second language can undoubtedly help students gain global styles of thinking as well as drawing inspiration from the world, which can help them go further.
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