The yield of investment in English education in China is not living up to expectations. Reflection and reform are needed to better the English education system and improve the personnel selection procedures.

Great importance has been attached to English study in the whole period of schooling in this country. English education uses an enormous amount of resources and plays a critical role in promoting economic development and social advancement. But in reality, the output does not equal the investment due for a number of reasons. Its negative impact on the educational system and selection of talented personnel has already emerged in recent years.

Our students are told the importance of English when they start learning the language in primary school. Then it takes about one-fourth of their time in junior middle school, one-third of their time in senior middle school and nearly half their time in college to learn the language. In the meantime, they face all kinds of tests on English, such as pop quizzes in class, school and college entrance examinations (CEE), and Band Four and Six College English Tests (CET).

For further study in some English-speaking countries or just to prove their language abilities, they may have to take IELTS (International English Language Testing System), TOEFL (Test of English as Foreign Language), GRE (Graduate Record Examination), GMAT (General Management Admission Test), etc. To be qualified for a good job or promotions, people also need to take various tests of English.

It seems the whole country is learning English. But is it really necessary?

There is no doubt about the importance and irreplaceability of the English language in the world today. But how to learn, how much learning is needed and who should be taught are questions that must be answered.

There were about 4.15 million people taking the Band 4 and Band 6 College English Tests on December 27, 2003. But do we need that many people directly using a foreign language at work and in their daily life?

For most people who are learning the language as a tool for communication, English is a kind of skill rather than knowledge. A senior middle school graduate usually spends more than six years learning English. From a practical aspect, for the majority who are not receiving further education or working with foreigners, their subjective efforts are made in vain and the objective educational resources are actually wasted.

The number of Chinese citizens who require good English skills at work constitutes a tiny minority. It is difficult to count their number, but the waste of educational resources is certain as about 2 million college students are graduating every year.

On the list of priorities for improving the quality of life in our nation, where should English education be ranked?

Our legal language is Chinese. But together with Chinese and mathematics, English has become one of the three subjects required in the CEE, the largest and most important examination in the country. If one did not want to learn English, he or she was then all but denied the right of going to college, no matter what their achievements in other subjects.

Affected by various required courses of contemporary science and culture, Chinese reading and writing classes have leveled off in colleges and universities, while English classes are becoming more and more popular. A great portion of college students are spending most of their time learning English instead of focusing on their majored courses. Graduating students find CET Band Four and Band Six certificates are more useful in getting a job than the scores in their majored courses. In selecting graduate course candidates, their English scores have veto rights.

The prestigious status of English education has led to an unbalanced allocation of limited educational resources. We have found a lack of experienced technicians and skilled workers in the job market. Behind this phenomenon are the retreating of technical and vocational schools, and a corresponding mushrooming of English training schools aimed at all kinds of language tests.

The general practice of selecting talented students or personnel based on their English tests scores is also improper.

Nowadays more and more children have been sent to foreign language schools in cities. Why? They are expected to get good scores in the language tests for entering good schools.

And many adults are also diligently studying English in order to pass the examinations for diplomas, which will decide their promotion or even whether they can keep the job.

In colleges and universities, the English examination system has shown great impact on the study of other majored subjects and teaching activities. Because students cannot get their diploma without passing the CET Band Four and the passing rate is an important criteria assessing the teaching quality of a school, all students and teachers are spending more time and energy dealing with this foreign language.

Our society needs all kinds of talented personnel. Individual development should be able to enjoy diversity following personnel aspirations as well. Yet the current English examination system has gradually become a bind limiting the development of talented personnel.

Our educational and personnel departments should take quick actions to change the situation, creating a more liberal and practical English education system.

As a language tool, good English skills should not be a requirement for students to go for further education or for graduates to get jobs and promotions. Higher institutions should be given more power in running the schools according to public needs.

The English examination system as a compulsory part of all kinds of schooling should be reformed and the practice of selecting talented people mainly according to their English level should be changed.

(China Daily March 18, 2004)