Editor,

English "fever" is sweeping the whole country. With Beijing and Shanghai winning bids to hold the 2008 Olympic Games and 2010 World Expo respectively, more and more people are plunging themselves into learning English. It was reported that 300 million or more Chinese people are learning English.

With the language now compulsory for students from primary schools to institutions of higher learning, English education has become an important part of China's education system. Every year, millions of people take various forms of English courses. College students attending the CET (College English Test) are growing in numbers.

The outcome is not that optimistic as it was reported by some media that only 10 per cent of students graduating from universities in China are prepared to work for transnational corporations. The problem is that many cannot put what they have learnt into practice though they have spent, more or less, 10 years studying English.

The majority of people who learn English do so for the sake of gaining diplomas. In order to acquire academic degrees, college students should pass the CET-Band4 or the CET-Band6 according to different requirements. It is very common that numerous students cannot use English to communicate even though they have passed the CET. The current CET compels students to learn English by rote, neglecting its role as a communication tool and exerting a heavy burden on them.

Various English tests have also impeded students from pursuing further study. For example, the English score is crucial when applying for postgraduate study. Some students with excellent academic records are rejected because of their failure to pass the test.

Measures should be adopted to reverse the prevalence of English in the talent evaluation system.

The Ministry of Education is now implementing the reform of the English curriculum, emphasizing communication skills and practical use. A more scientific and effective English education system will be established in the years to come though the road ahead is rather arduous and bumpy.

Wu Yifei, Xi'an