Talking Points: should Mandarin be a compulsory subject in secondary school?

After all, all Chinese people should learn their native language; it would be weird if they cannot speak Mandarin.

Most secondary schools in Hong Kong teach Mandarin as a subject. Although Mandarin is important for a student’s future, it should be an optional – not compulsory – subject. This means students who are not good at languages can pick another subject and improve their overall grades.

Yes, definitely. English played a crucial role when Hong Kong was a British colony, but things are different now. English is still important, but since China has become an economic powerhouse, we need more and more people with good Mandarin skills.

Trade is a key aspect of Hong Kong’s economy, and we need to maintain strong trade links with the mainland. Without a common language, we could be in trouble.

Also, learning a new language means that we get a chance to widen our social circle which is a really good thing.

There are two main reasons why Mandarin should be made a compulsory subject in secondary school. First, Chinese culture is one the world’s richest and oldest. By reading Chinese texts and watching films about the country’s civilisation, students can gain a better understanding of the language and Chinese culture.

Secondly, Chinese is the most widely spoken language in the world with nearly 1.2 billion people speaking it. Of this number, around 960 million speak Mandarin. Mandarin could even replace English as the world’s international language some day. So it’s a no-brainer that secondary school students in Hong Kong should learn Mandarin.

No, I don’t think so. Hong Kong is well-known for its exam-oriented education system. However, Mandarin is not one of the core subjects in the DSE examination. Students may not bother to study the language even if they are forced to learn it at school. It’s a waste of time and school resources, and would put more pressure on students.

Cantonese is our native language and it is widely spoken in the city. Languages are tools for communication and what we need in Hong Kong is simply Cantonese.

It doesn’t mean that we should forget about Mandarin. Teenagers can still learn it in a relaxed atmosphere, such as through TV programmes or discussions with friends.

In our next Talking Points, we’ll discuss:

We are now accepting your answers for this topic. To take part, email your answer with your name, age, and school, along with a nice, clear selfie (make sure it’s not blurry), to [email protected] by lunchtime on Monday. Don’t forget to include “Talking Points” in the subject line.