{
  "id": 6207254,
  "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",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-08T01:00:12.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3366668/should-chinese-schools-demote-english-core-subject-discuss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A debate has resurfaced in China regarding whether the country should reduce the status of English as a core subject in its education system. The controversy was sparked by remarks from a maths teacher, Tang Jiafeng, who argued that excessive focus on English has taken away time and resources from other subjects and is unnecessary for most jobs. Tang called for stripping English of its \"core subject\" status in schools, stating that it should be treated like a tool rather than an idolized foreign concept. History, on the other hand, supports keeping English as a core subject due to its global importance and the educational equality it provides. However, critics argue that China's heavy emphasis on English may not be necessary given the growing global use of Chinese and advancements in AI translation. The 2025 EF English Proficiency Index places China in the \"low proficiency\" category, raising questions about the effectiveness of the traditional approach to English education.",
  "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": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Reuters Business via SCMP",
        "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",
        "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."
}