{
  "id": 6206041,
  "title": "Should Chinese schools demote English as a core subject?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/should-chinese-schools-demote-english-as-a-core-subject",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T01:00:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
    "slug": "reuters-business-via-scmp",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3366668/should-chinese-schools-demote-english-core-subject-discuss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Calls have resurfaced to reduce English's status as a core subject in China's education system after a popular maths teacher urged the country to end \"worshipping foreign things.\" Tang Jiafeng, known for coaching students through the national postgraduate entrance exam, argued that children, parents, and schools had devoted excessive time and resources to English, a subject he deemed irrelevant to most jobs. \"No country in the world places English in such a supreme position as we do,\" he wrote on social media. Tang urged for English to be stripped of its \"core subject\" status, emphasizing that it is merely a tool to be used effectively. The teacher's remarks came after history was reduced in weight as a subject in local exam reforms, a decision he deemed \"heavy-hearted.\" He argued that history provided students with valuable lessons about the past and solid values, suggesting that if any subject should receive less weight, it should be English. Currently, English is a core subject alongside Chinese and mathematics in China's basic education system. Despite recent reforms to the gaokao and zhongkao exams, these three subjects remain central to China's exam-driven education system. However, not everyone agreed with Tang's stance. Former Global Times editor-in-chief Hu Xijin dismissed those who denounced English learning as extreme and narrow-minded, asserting that English should remain a core subject for access to international knowledge and opportunities. He warned that weakening English could undermine educational equality, as wealthier families could still afford private English education while less privileged students would lose access. Hu also argued that basic education should allow everyone to advance as far as they can, emphasizing the importance of educational equality as the foundation for personal success. The debate over English's role in China's education system has intensified due to China's growing economic and technological influence. Supporters of demoting English cite rising \"cultural confidence\" and the increasing global use of Chinese, coupled with AI translation, as reducing the need for extensive English education. Others question the effectiveness of China's exam-oriented approach to teaching English, arguing that students often memorize vocabulary and grammar for tests without developing real-life communication skills. Critics also note that Chinese textbooks and classrooms often emphasize Chinese history, culture, and domestic achievements over Western society and international culture, undermining one of the primary purposes of learning a foreign language: providing students with a window to the outside world.",
  "summary": "Calls to reduce English’s status as a core subject in China’s education system have resurfaced after an internet-famous maths teacher urged the country to end “worshipping foreign things”. The controversy has revived a long-running debate over the role of English in Chinese schools. The argument came to life again after Tang Jiafeng, a maths teacher known for coaching students through the…",
  "key_points": [
    "Tang Jiafeng urges demoting English to non-core subject in China's education system.",
    "Critics argue English essential for international opportunities and equality.",
    "Supporters cite cultural confidence and AI reducing need for extensive English education."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The renewed debate on English's status as a core subject in China reflects a shift in priorities, as some argue it hinders cultural confidence and others see it as essential for global access.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post",
        "title": "Should Chinese schools demote English as a core subject?",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/should-chinese-schools-demote-english-as-a-core-subject-6207254",
        "published": "2026-09-08T01:00:12.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}