Against teaching in EnglishI write this letter to express my strong objection to the proposal to offer monetary incentives to encourage English language teaching at The Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Firstly, I would assume that such a move aims at forcing out the use of Chinese-medium teaching with the view that it is somehow unprogressive and less prestigious.
I might also assume that such a move is prompted by pressure from certain (misinformed) sectors of the community to make the University’s graduates more competitive in the marketplace.
Though there is a prevalent colonialist mentality in Hong Kong that English is essential for competitiveness, I hope that this is not held by the University’s leaders and visionaries.
There is strong evidence that the mother-tongue is more conducive to learning in several respects.
Moreover, I cannot see how it can be justified that a talented young mathematician, musician or philosopher should be disadvantaged or excluded because he or she has poor English skills.
I often wonder how much time and money is spent by Hong Kong people on English tutorials while they could play sports or learn musical instruments.
I also wonder how much money is wasted by Hong Kong firms each year due to communication inefficiencies in English.
In fact, this kind of pretentious, hopeless attitude to English caused many problems at my former university, the University of Hong Kong.
This year, I decided to leave the University of Hong Kong to study at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (over a number of prestigious foreign universities) partly because I felt that it has a more sensible language policy.
In the past, I studied in different departments in different universities in Australia and Hong Kong.I saw that Chinese students flounder not because of low intelligence, lack of hard work, or inability to express themselves, but because of systematic discrimation due to their English skills.
While this phenomenon is understandable at a foreign university funded by English speaking taxpayers, I find it a miscarriage of justice for this to be the case in Hong Kong where 95 per cent of the population are Chinese.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong is a rising star against the traditional prestige of the University of Hong Kong. I believe this is because The Chinese University of Hong Kong has implemented a strict and sensible approach to education that creates smart and capable graduates who are specialised in their chosen fields of study.
As a concerned student and Chinese citizen, I hope that the head of the University will reconsider the proposal despite possible pressure from certain short-sighted people in the community.
I will certainly not stand back and watch the University’s quality and Hong Kong’s future buckle under an economic colonialist policy, posing as some “voluntary” incentive scheme.
Yuen Yui Chi
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Letters to the Editor, with the writer’s name, address and daytime contact number, should be sent to: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 202, Humanities Building, New Asia College, or faxed to 2603-6610, or e-mailed to varsity@cuhk.edu.hk. Letters may be edited for reasons of space, style and clarity.