Universities and English (2) [Language and Life]

A graduate student majoring in piano at a South Korean university is currently studying 'TOEIC Basic' in her spare time, despite having recently completed her graduation recital. Her pursuit of English proficiency is driven by the reality that securing employment, even outside the arts, requires English skills as a 'basic spec.' This situation underscores the pervasive 'English absolutism' in South Korean society, where English is often considered a mandatory prerequisite for almost any career path.

Universities frequently enforce English as a mandatory subject under the banner of 'global talent cultivation,' without sufficient consideration for the diverse academic disciplines. Students in fields like dance or Korean literature, whose aspirations lie in creative arts, find themselves anxious about failing to graduate due to English requirements. This uniform approach to English education fails to acknowledge the varied needs and contexts of different academic pursuits.

Furthermore, the reality that English proficiency is often tied to a family's socioeconomic background exacerbates educational inequality. When universities make English a mandatory graduation requirement, it can create the illusion that this advantage is based on merit, thereby perpetuating the unequal distribution of educational capital. This system risks mistaking inherited privilege for earned skill.

While specialized English education is undoubtedly necessary for fields like diplomacy or trade, the article questions the necessity of mandating English in disciplines where it is not core. It argues that allowing students to choose English studies based on their academic and life contexts would be a more effective way to restore diversity in university education. English, the author contends, should not be a subject of standardized, uniform instruction.