English-language proficiency in China has declined over the past year, a global survey released by EF Education First revealed. Out of 70 countries around the world, China was ranked 47th when it comes to English-language skills.
EF Education First, an international education company, also ranked China 11th out of 16 Asian countries that participated in the survey.
According to a report by China Daily, the survey concludes that Shanghai and Beijing received the highest English-language proficiency scores in the country. The survey also revealed that women were more proficient in the language than their male counterparts.
910,000 adults, which included university students, younger students and working professionals participated in the survey. In China, working professionals and younger students proved to be more proficient in English than university students.
"More young professionals in China are using English than ever before, and this experience is giving them a higher level (of proficiency)," said Christopher McCormick, senior vice president for academic affairs of EF.
"You can look at contemporary Chinese society and you can understand that," he added. "There are more opportunities and more pressure to use English in the workplace today."
Professors and instructors show concern, on the other hand, about university students' performance in the survey.
"The current requirement for university students' English-language skills is so loose that students lack the goal and motivation to study or use the language," said Cai Jigang, an English-language professor from Fudan University in Shanghai. Cai also serves as the director of the Shanghai Advisory Committee on College English Teaching.
China Daily's report stated that most Chinese universities only give four general English lessons to non-English majors. Students are also only required to pass the College English Test Band 4 (CET-4), which only includes 4,500 English words.
These requirements are not sufficient, according to Cai, as most students have already reached that level of proficiency before college. This results in lack of drive to improve their English skills.
"Once university students are able to read professional literature, make literature reviews, write essays and do presentations of their majors using English, we can expect a rise in their English ability," Cai said.