Hong Kong must change how English is taught to raise standards

More than 10 years ago on this very page, I posed the question: "Are we losing our advantage in English?" Today, this is no longer a question; it is reality. The government's policy of mother-tongue education has produced a generation of students with less competence in English and, even more seriously, less impetus to learn about the outside world. In different ways, we are witnessing the consequences of this inward-looking turn.

The use of English as a medium for communication has always been Hong Kong's strength as a great international city. It is crucial in attracting people with talent and expertise. It has made Hong Kong a favourite destination for tourists, and given the city a competitive advantage in education, research, science and technology. We cannot afford to lose this advantage.

English is the lingua franca of our world today, used in communication in an international setting for the exchange of information, ideas, skills and technologies. That is why teaching English is such an important part of education in China and neighbouring countries, and governments all try to make sure English is being taught effectively.

In the last decade or so, while Hong Kong was pushing more primary and secondary schools to teach in Cantonese, mainland China was pushing for more English. Now the results are clear to see. On the mainland, the level of English among college students is steadily on the rise, while in Hong Kong the perception is just the opposite.

Recently, the nation's Ministry of Education commissioned a group of professors to set up a national standard for undergraduate English teaching and to design a basic bibliography of literary works in English to be used nationwide as guidelines or even required texts. Literary texts offer students examples of good English, which will inspire greater understanding and better command of the language.