Chinese is considered as “just another language” by many around the globe. There is nothing different, or special about Chinese that differentiates it from other Southeast Asian languages like Japanese or Korean. However, we at RCHK LEEKS know the truth.
Beyond the truth.
In the allegedly diverse education structure boasted by so many Hong Kong schools, it is unfortunate that many subjects go unnoticed and dormant for years on end due to the restrictive system.
Alongside the pleasurable and exciting subjects like computer science, film and philosophy, why are languages other than Chinese and English are also relegated to the “fun but not relevant” box?
In an attempt to uncover the truth behind the phenomenon, we set out on a journey to ask the best of the best. The ones who have to tolerate the effects of such domination. The ones who suffer the most.
“I… I can’t do it anymore. Why… Why am I forced to take Chinese? I’m not even Chinese… I just want to do French, but I can’t even do French! It’s all because we don’t have enough students who want to do French. What don’t people like about French? Are they racist? What is it they have against the language that spawned croissants, clichés, the avant-garde? I want the right to wear a black polo-neck sweater and pretend to smoke stinky cigarettes. I swear I’ll hunt down all the francophobes, find them and k …. ”
Regrettably, the student never managed to finish their statement.
Another disappointed student complained, “Everyday, I’m forced to study upwards of six hours of Chinese. I end the day with a crippled hand. Do you see the bandages on my hand? My bones have completely shattered! I’ve tried for so long to increase my writing speed, a thousand words per essay they told me. This was what they told me. They did this to me.”
The student was allegedly cornered into taking Chinese. Not by peers. Not by parents. But by the powers that be.
“You need to fill the quota they told me! They threatened me with stripping away my scholarship and expelling me! I can’t have that happen, my family is in financial ruins because of COVID-19. If I get kicked out of this school, it’ll be over for me. I can’t. I can’t. I can’t. Why did this have to happen to me now? Why? Why? Why? Why? Pourquoi, pourquoi, pourq …. ”
The ambulance was promptly called as the student began to convulse.
Why does our school do this? The circulation of other languages should not be confined to the social customs imposed on us. When one vows to promote understanding and acceptance, one should also be willing and able to understand the importance of cultural diversity!
In short, please increase the number of bistros and boulangeries in our school to develop the cultural awareness we strive to have.
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