Education & Society

History vs English: A Hot Debate on Exam Reform

一、Hot Search Behind Education Debate

Postgraduate math guru Tang Jiafeng recently posted multiple articles on social media, calling for strengthening history education and reducing English as a core subject. His anger stems from several provinces adjusting history from counted to assessed subjects in middle school exams. But using English criticism to elevate history may misread the reform logic.

Liaoning announced that starting Fall 2026, biology, geography and history will be assessed subjects not counted in total scores; Beijing already implemented similar reform in 2025. The core logic is shifting from memorization-based scoring to competency evaluation.

Destroy a nation, first destroy its history - Tang quotes Liang Qichao, emphasizing history education connects to national identity. But equating not testing with not valuing is slippery reasoning.

二、Should English Be Demoted?

Tang argues that if cuts are needed, English should go first. His point has merit - Chinese students spend more time on English than peers worldwide, yet few achieve real proficiency. AI translation further erodes the ROI of全民死磕英语.

But English is not just a tool, it is the key to global technology, academia and diverse cultures. Weakening its position may deprive ordinary families of fair access, as wealthy families can still hire private tutors.

三、The Real Challenge

Tang outburst reflects deep anxiety about education reform: how to balance reducing burden with improving quality. Simply removing subjects from exams does not solve overwork. The real fix needs systemic reform in evaluation, curriculum design and social hiring practices.

Learning history well and passing history exams are two different things. Competency-oriented reform aims to return history from memorizing test points to understanding the past to illuminate the future.

综合云南日报、浙江日报、澎湃新闻报道 | 2026年9月9日