English level among HK youth sees sharp decline as the city trailing Singapore, Philippines and Malaysia: survey

Hong Kong ranked fourth in Asia in an English proficiency index, trailing Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

EF Education First (EF) released the latest edition of the English Proficiency Index (EPI) on Wednesday, which analyzed data from 2.2 million non-native English speakers and examined the trends in English proficiency across 113 countries and regions.

Hong Kong ranked 29th globally with an EPI score of 558, belonging to the "High Proficiency" category, and fourth in Asia this year.

Singapore's EPI score is 631 and tops the list in Asia, followed by the Philippines (578) and Malaysia (568). 

China ranked 82nd in the world, with Beijing getting 514 marks and Shanghai reaching 512, while Macau ranks lower with a score of 502, at a level similar to Nanjing.

The report also pointed out that English proficiency among Hong Kong's people aged 18 to 20 has shown a significant decline trend from 2020 to 2022 - consistent with the global trend - which may reflect the impact of the pandemic on students' learning progress.

The survey said although there have been signs of recovery in 2023, the overall English proficiency of the concerned age group has already fallen back to the level of 2017.

Jeannie Tse, Country Manager of EF Hong Kong and Macau, stated that while AI has massively changed the way the youth work and learn, the importance of the role of schools, teachers, and face-to-face instruction must not be overlooked.

"I do not believe that AI can completely replace language learning, but educators can harness AI to enhance language learning methods," Tse said. "Such as designing personalized learning paths or teaching students how to use technology to improve learning efficiency."

The survey also noted the age group with the best English proficiency in the city is 31 to 40 years old.

EF said that English proficiency in various age groups in China has significantly declined since 2020, with no signs of slowing down. 

According to the data, China's English proficiency improved significantly from 2015 to 2020, reaching the "Moderate" band at one point. However, the latest overall score in 2023 is 464, falling back the "Low" band.

EF was founded in Sweden in 1965 with an aim to open the world through education. It provides immersive cultural education through language learning, travel, cultural exchange, and academic programs in over 100 countries.