Mandarin teaching triggers controversy

Wong Kin Mou, the director of the Department of Research and Educational Resources of the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau (DSEJ), said that the DSEJ does not fully endorse the widespread adoption of Mandarin as the medium of instruction for Chinese language courses.

Wong, during a TDM radio show on Wednesday, claimed that DSEJ regards Cantonese and Mandarin as equally important.

Recently, DSEJ Director Leong Lei mentioned that Macau would work to improve the Mandarin skills of lecturers of Chinese subjects. Lei’s statement triggered a discussion among Chinese parents.

Some parents support the idea of using Mandarin to teach Chinese because they believe that an additional language offers advantages to the future development of students.

On the contrary, the president of the Macau Yue Dialects Association, Tong Choi Lan, who also attended the show, indicated that Mandarin does not help in improving the students’ Chinese ability.

Tong emphasized that Cantonese should not be suppressed by Mandarin just because the latter is the national language.

A member of the audience who identified only as Chan, said he “loves the country and loves Macau,” but, did not agree with using Mandarin to teach Chinese. “Despite the Chief Executive Chui’s Mandarin not being standard, and being mocked by other people, he has still managed to touch state leaders with his sincere  oath-taking,” said Chan. He went on to note that to make the students speak fluent Mandarin, they might need to speak Mandarin even at home.

“Would it become the society we want to see? Portuguese people did not do it, regardless of how bad they were,” said Chan.

Meanwhile, other people are worried about other parties trying to transfer mainland culture to Macau and expedite the SAR’s assimilation. JZ