China has a strategic competence that risks ending up in the drawer. We are not talking about violin or piano education, or even artistic gymnastics or competitive sports that are no less important than the state. No, at the heart of any potential slowdown is the study of English, yet the key to accessing the outside world. The Chinese economic miracle is associated with opening doors to the English language. The language was also a tool for dialogue at the diplomatic level: until a few decades ago, the party leaders themselves knew, at most, the Russian language, thanks to the exchanges between Moscow and Beijing, the only possible for their generations.
Lots of energy
The story is known. “In China, they start when they are very young because English is a very important tool to be able to study abroad. There’s a lot of pressure on younger children, who teaches languages and languages, says Li Kunlai, a native of Zhengzhou in central China, founder of the Chinese Cultural Center in Milan via Paolo Sarpi (www.centroculturalecinese.com). Culture pays special attention. “Parents invest a lot in tutoring and private courses, perhaps too much for such young students.”
This concept was echoed on the benches of the National People’s Congress when, in everyday life, Congressman Tu Qingming, principal of the Second Middle School in Yuqing District in Yan’an City, Sichuan Province, said that “Learning English takes a lot of energy and time for students.” The practicality of foreign languages for many people is limited.”
So Tuo Qingming proposed to reduce the weight of the foreign language, and raise the value in the college entrance examination from 150 points to 100 points. It is the terrible Gaokao, the cross and the joy of entire families, the college entrance examination whose final score becomes the elevator that separates heaven from hell. People go to pray in temples and light incense to appease a good grade that opens the doors to one of the ten best universities in China.
The turning point in 2012
Now the tongue knot is back home to settle down. The two sessions of Parliament are usually the arena in which new ideas are launched. «I agree with this proposal, – said an elderly teacher present at the working group. There is no need to make English in middle and high schools too difficult, instead the focus should be on the practical application of the language.” “As far as I know, he added, many schools have already sensed this trend and are starting to reduce the hours of English language courses and culture teachers. greatly English.
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