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It’s not every day you wake up to a headline that makes you question the entire foundation of your childhood education—especially if that foundation included endless grammar drills, painfully memorized vocabulary lists, and the existential dread of the dreaded “English exam.” But in the bustling halls of Beijing’s National People’s Congress, a quiet revolution is stirring. A proposal floated by CPPCC member Xu Jin has sent ripples through classrooms, parent groups, and online forums: what if English, that once-ubiquitous subject, no longer had to be a non-negotiable part of China’s compulsory education system? Imagine a world where students could finally trade their grammar textbooks for something more… *their*—like calligraphy, robotics, or the art of brewing the perfect cup of *dianxian* tea.
Now, don’t panic—no one’s suggesting we ban Shakespeare or erase the word “hello” from the Chinese lexicon. But the idea that English might no longer be forced into the same league as Chinese and math in the national curriculum? That’s like telling a marathon runner they don’t need to run every day—just on weekends. It’s not a full-scale retreat; it’s a strategic repositioning. If passed, the move wouldn’t erase English altogether—just relegate it from mandatory core status to optional elective status, especially beyond the middle school years. Picture this: a student who’s always struggled with “past perfect tense” finally gets to skip it, while another who dreams of working in a Tokyo tech startup can still dive deep into pronunciation and idiomatic expressions.
The real tea spill came when Xu Jin pointed out that English currently devours about 10% of students’ class time—time that could, theoretically, be redirected toward more “practical” skills like AI literacy, mental health awareness, or even advanced tai chi for focus. It’s not that English is useless, mind you. It’s just… *overrepresented*. Like putting extra ketchup on a burger that’s already drowning in sauce. While English might be the language of choice for international business and some academic papers, the average Chinese adult uses it less than they use their WeChat wallet. And that’s not a judgment—it’s data.
Social media erupted like a volcano after the news broke. One parent on Weibo joked, “Finally! My kid can spend less time stressing over ‘prepositions’ and more time mastering the art of convincing their grandma that ‘I’m just studying’ actually means ‘I’m watching anime.’” Meanwhile, educators debated whether removing English would make China more self-reliant—or just create a generation with a strange disconnect from the global stage. It’s like asking whether removing the GPS from a smartphone makes you more or less capable—depends on how much you actually need to navigate.
The world of English language instruction in China is a complex one
1. The current number of foreigners working as EFL instructors, around 30,000, has grown significantly over the past decade or so.
As it stands today, there are approximately 30,000 foreign teachers who have made significant investments into their careers here and many have become quite entrenched in Chinese culture, often marrying locals, buying homes etc. The financial rewards can be substantial but they also come with a great deal of uncertainty if regulations change to make English instruction optional for students.
3. A drop in the number of EFL instructors could lead to severe economic consequences for some teachers who may not have enough savings or other income sources to fall back on
There's one thing that gets my goat, and it is when people underestimate the emotional investment an expat teacher brings into a job like this - there are many who have built their lives around teaching English in Chinese classrooms and can't just walk away from that for reasons such as family obligations or health issues. The impact on families of these teachers could be devastating.
4. Making EFL instruction optional would also significantly increase the number of qualified, well-educated locals ready to fill those positions
Some people might say it's about time China gets its own talent pool and doesn't rely so heavily on foreign instructors - but from my perspective, I'd rather see more support for local English teachers who need training or resources. Instead of just replacing them with unqualified Chinese colleagues we could be supporting the next generation of educators.
5. But what really worries me is that if EFL instruction becomes optional, many people who have invested so much time and money into their careers here may struggle to get work in other countries as well
A colleague once joked about how hard it was for them when they needed a visa renewal - I recall him saying "the Chinese government doesn't care what your qualifications are, but if you're not teaching English you don't exist"
6. Some proponents of this change argue that making EFL instruction optional would give students more freedom to choose their own learning path and allow parents to make informed decisions about their children's education
But from my point of view, I can see the potential for a black market in private tutoring - where unqualified teachers take advantage of desperate parents looking for 'quality' English lessons that they don't exist
Yet, this shift could open doors for other linguistic and cultural professionals. If Mandarin education becomes more prominent globally, it could lead to a surge in demand for native Chinese language teachers abroad. Universities might begin hiring foreign students fluent in Mandarin—not just as language learners, but as cultural ambassadors, curriculum developers, or even specialized educators in international programs. This could create entirely new career paths for non-native speakers who are passionate about Chinese language and culture.
Moreover, the potential reallocation of classroom hours could allow schools to focus on emerging fields such as digital ethics, sustainable innovation, or interdisciplinary design thinking. Students might gain deeper exposure to STEM fields through project-based learning, while also cultivating emotional intelligence and creative problem-solving skills. The classroom could become less about rote memorization and more about cultivating agile, globally aware citizens prepared for future challenges.
This transformation isn’t about rejecting globalization—it’s about redefining it. By making English a choice rather than a mandate, China may be preparing a new generation that is not only proficient in their mother tongue but also intentional in their engagement with the world. Whether through technology, art, or cross-cultural exchange, the future classroom could become a space where students choose their path with confidence, guided not by obligation, but by passion and purpose. The ripple effect of this policy could extend far beyond the schoolyard—shaping how China sees itself and how the world sees China, one elective at a time.
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Categories:
English,
Chinese,
Students,
China,
Teachers,
Optional,
Language,
