China’s most cosmopolitan city, Shanghai, recently made the decision to stop English exams in elementary school settings. Some fear that this, among other actions like discouraging original English language textbooks in school and university settings, indicates a ‘reversing of gears’ for China’s global opening up.
We take a look at what these changes could mean for those employed in the second language sector, and the impact of the changes already seen.
Reducing workload pressure
When the Shanghai authorities announced sweeping changes to the elementary school examinations, the city mirrored similar moves across the country. China’s Ministry of Education decided earlier in the year to stop the Main Suite Exam, a renowned English qualification designed by Cambridge University subsidiary Cambridge Assessment English. Officials said that this was an attempt to reduce workload pressure on children, and also to reduce costs for parents.
This summer, the trend continued, with a crackdown on for-profit firms teaching core curriculum subjects in China, along with barring foreign-investment in such companies. This saw many employed in the huge English online tutoring sector scrambling and fearing for their jobs – especially when Chinese online English tutoring firm VIPKid announced it would stop offering English lessons from tutors based outside of China.
“Teachers are applying everywhere, trying to grab something that could replace their income from VIPKid. I think right now people are just in desperation, panic mode,” YouTuber and online tutor Tim Gascoigne said at the time.
Foreign language learning demand still exists
Despite these actions from city officials and the Chinese Communist Party, parents are still keen for their children to learn a foreign language – especially English – in what is a hyper-competitive education market.
“Education and health are the two main concerns of Chinese people,” King’s College London senior sociology lecturer Dr Ye Liu told the Guardian. “Because of the one-child policy, urban families used education as an investment channel, to reproduce the privileges of cultural capital – good universities, studying abroad. They need the private tutoring [because] it’s so competitive. It’s no good isolating private tutoring if we don’t address the uneven distribution of education provision [across China] … The crackdown hasn’t been accompanied by more policy proposals to reduce unequal distribution of education provisions, resources and opportunities.”
There is still definitely pent-up demand to learn foreign languages, especially English in China. However, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for individuals and companies outside of China to provide these services. Paradoxically, native English speakers are exactly those who are most sought-after by Chinese parents looking to give their children an advantageous edge. With so many new regulations introduced this year, this is not a dilemma that will be solved quickly. For now, many tutors are looking elsewhere as the stability of the Chinese market continues to be thrown into question.