The move to scrap out English test from the China’s college entrance exam is a retrogressive move towards globalization. English is not a language exam; it is a global language that people who wish to fit in the globalization age have to learn. In many countries, which do not use English as the first language, it is mainly the second language, which is incorporated in the education curriculum. Scraping English from the entry exam is not a positive move towards reforming education, regardless of whether a student is pursuing a career that does not require much use of English, education cannot be based on a national level (Wright, 2000).
China cannot live in isolation from other nations, and it has to cope with the social dynamics in the modern world. Students need to be able to compete in the international job market, and that cannot be possible if they cannot communicate in English. Different cultures have been connected by English; one cannot ignore the need for reforms in the education system, but there is also need to evaluate the impact that reforms have on the long run. The US of English within the international community has greatly been influenced by the US which great command on global economy. Many analysts within the economic sector view the move to be politically driven and are likely to have unpleasant consequences on the Chinese economy. China has emerged as one of the leading global economy but is cannot survive on its owns, as much as the government support the Chinese culture; it has to appreciate the role that English plays in the global community. Education should prepare student to meet the needs of the global community and not just addressing national issues. Those in support of the policy argue that it has student face a huge burden as they struggle to learn an international language that they feel that they do not need. Such an argument is a display of ignorance on the purpose of education in the international community. Language as a tool of communication surpasses just the education needs; the social aspect of language needs to be considered before implementing the policy. The head of the Intelligence Research Institute in China informed the press that schools were putting a lot of emphasis on the English Language, which is quite stressing to the students. Concerns have been raised on the number of students who have failed to qualify for university education after getting low grades in English. Those in support of the policy have also raised concerns on the number of the effort being put by Chinese students in studying English, putting a lot of effort on English affects the students’ performance since they cannot fully concentrate on their majors. Students pursuing course such as engineering and medicine feel that their course are more practical based and do not require to sit for the English tests or study English while in college (Schaffner,2000).
English is not a political language; it is an international language that people need to survive in the global world, education should prepare students to fit in the social world, engineers and doctors require learning and understanding English since their training is global and not locally based in China. Many students have admitted that they would like to further their studies in foreign nations with most of these nations using English as the first or second language. Failure to understand English would lock many students from furthering their education. The population in China is increasing, and many young people who have finished college have not yet secured employment. In order to solve the unemployment crisis facing China the country needs to focus on a global based education system, this can only be achieved if English is given priority as a second language and incorporated in the Education system. Chinese graduates can seek for employment anywhere in the world if they can be able to communicate in English. There are many foreign students studying in China and foreign workers who do not understand Chinese, before these people can learn Chinese need to communicate, and they can only do so in English. Many international organizations that operate in China cannot operate smoothly if the Chinese people cannot speak in English. Many investors in major cities in China such as Beijing and Shanghai are mainly English speaking foreigners, if the Chinese do not show the value and the role of communication by making English a compulsory language many of the foreigners might be forced to walk away (Bianco, Orton & Yihong, 2009).
China will have minimal contribution towards globalization if it implements the policy to scrap of English test, globalization goes beyond socialization, and it affects the economy and the political aspect of any nation. China needs to provide its students with an opportunity to compete with other students in the global community. There are also interactions that take place through exchange programs between Chinese and students and students from other nations, these programs will be difficult to carry out if the Chinese students cannot be able to speak English. Parents and students need to think beyond the school setup in when analyzing the importance of English in schools. English is a survival language for many people who wish to succeed in the globalization era, and unless the Chinese students learn how to communicate in English, they are likely to face challenges as they try to fit in the global world (Koeneke, 2004).
Education goes beyond cultural context and China should think about this before it scraps of English from its college entry exam, there are other measures that can be put in place rather than doing away with English. The exam should not be the major qualification for a student who is joining college. The English tests should be based on the basic requirement needed for one to communicate in English. Students should also be tested on the ability to apply English in their communication. In the lower levels of education such as high school, students should be able to understand the role that English plays in the global community. Many students fail in English because of the negative attitude that they have towards the language; there is a need to inculcate a culture where students appreciate English as their second language. There is no need to educate students to be optimistic in life yet limit their opportunities to compete globally. Students need to appreciate the contribution that has been made by other cultures, and this can be done through learning other languages (Stanley, 2013).
All the stakeholders involved in the education sector have to ensure the education standards in China remains significant with the changing world. The test should be made optional, and other foreign language tests to be provided to the students .Relying on one language for the purpose of education is a tragic move to Chinese students who are optimistic of competing with other students in other nations. The world is a global village; communication is a survival tool, or all, and English seems to be the global language adopted by most nations (Yuming, 2001).
References
Bianco, J., Orton, J., & Yihong, G. (2009). China and English globalisation and the dilemmas of identity. Buffalo: Multilingual Matters.
Koeneke, R. (2004). Empires of the mind: I.A. Richards and Basic English in China, 1929-1979. Stanford, Calif.: Stanford University Press.
Schaffner, C. (2000). Translation in the global village. Clevedon, Avon, England: Multilingual Matters.
Stanley, P. (2013). A critical ethnography of "Westerners" teaching English in China: Shanghaied in Shanghai. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
Wright, S. (2000). Community and communication the role of language in nation state building and European integration. Buffalo, NY: Multilingual Matters.
Yuming, L. (2001). The Language Situation in China. .: ..
