Money or education,which one is more important?
By monicazhang
@monicazhang (802)
China
October 16, 2007 7:20am CST
My boyfriend is looking for a job in Shanghai now...he is interested in working in an import&export company.Usually these kind companies pay much attention in employee's language skills especially spoken skills.But as most of chinese college graduates do,my boyfriend's oral english is relatively poor compared to his written english.So today he visited EF(english first,a well-known engish training center).He found the study facilities are perfect there,but on the other hand,the tuition fee is very expensive(16,000RMB,equal to 2,000$ for a year).So we are still hesitating...My dear friends,what would you do if you were my boyfriend?Your answers would be appreciated!
3 people like this
22 responses
@spoiled311 (5500)
• Philippines
16 Oct 07
hi monica! i believe that education is more important, because you can build money from there. but money is also needed for education.
regarding your boyfriend, if further education will ensure him better paying jobs in the future, why not invest, that is if you can afford it now. if now, he can work for it and save up for it.
my sister in law is in china right now, an hour's ride from shanghai. would your boyfriend like one on one tutorial?
@monicazhang (802)
• China
16 Oct 07
I thought it should be 'jia xing'.In fact,I am quite similar with that place since I often have business trip there...lol.Thanks for your response!
@monicazhang (802)
• China
17 Oct 07
Yes,you are right.Thanks for your response and have a nice day!
@laurika (4532)
• United States
17 Oct 07
well my boyfriend is american so he doesn't need it.And I don't agree everything is hard after 25.My aunt is 53 and she is learning english now and doing pretty good.You just need to do it not being lazy.And have a motivation.that 's what is important.We can do what ever we want and in every age.
1 person likes this
@quanto50 (140)
• Sweden
17 Oct 07
I think it will depend on the situation of your boyfriend.If he has money those 2000 dollars he'd better study english at least for about couple of months or the whole year in order to improve his spoken and written english.Because it is going to be the key facor for him in the future ..he could chnage the jobs according to his like and dislike but if he lacks the knowledge of the language or education then he is left in more difficult situation.
Money and welath is never enough..education is only viable when young ..time passes by. .. after the age of 25 it's hard to do anything with the education because the hardhsip of life takes you by.
@ElicBxn (63652)
• United States
16 Oct 07
If he can get an education loan, it might well be worth it.
My client has taught English as a second language thru a free service here. She has had 3 Chinese students and only the last one failed to improve. He failed because he refused to co-operate with her methods that she learned & are a very successful method of learning.
Needless to say, she tried to rope me in to learning with her back when she took the class, but it'd've been one thing if it had been teaching people to read (something I love to do) but teaching people to learn a language I barely have mastery of tho I'm a native speaker, is quite another thing.
1 person likes this
@Savvynlady (3684)
• United States
16 Oct 07
Even here in the U.S., I would find that rather expensive. Is there perhaps someone there who can tutor him in this for less? I am sure there are folks who offer help in learining a new language and that sounds better as opposed to paying for this. I hope that helps. Plus, is there libraries or books where he can perhaps teach himself how to do it, more like self help? that might be less costly. hope something works for him.
1 person likes this
@monicazhang (802)
• China
16 Oct 07
Yes,he definitely has other options.But its the best one since most teachers there are native speakers and I believe most of the tuition fee goes to their salary.Besides,I used to be a student of similar training center and I benefited a lot from it.Thanks anyway and best wishes for you!
@tigertang (1749)
• Singapore
16 Oct 07
Money vs Education is sort of like the chicken and egg debate and since we've decided to go down that road, I think we should apply a Zen metaphor - the chicken is the egg and money is education.
At the most shallow level, you need to have money to finance courses and you also find that once you have more qualifications, you are more likely to get better paying jobs and probably earn more in the long run as employers seem to find value in the pieces of paper we call degrees.
At a deeper level you also find that people with money are also educated people - even if that education is not necessarily in the shape of school learning. People with money are educated about the way money works and know how to apply the lessons that they learn.
@monicazhang (802)
• China
17 Oct 07
Yes,I totally agree with you.We have decided to pay the tuition fee since education is more important at this moment.Thanks for your response and have a nice day!
@islandrose (686)
• Philippines
2 Nov 07
Hi Monica!
If your boyfriend is interested on an on-line English tutorial I know of an English teacher. He will just sign in with his password in www.buddyschool.com then search the teacher's name "CRISTAL" and take a request. Or he will add CRISTALKATE to his Skype list in order to talk to the said teacher. If he is interested, you send me a message. The fee is very affordable.
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
17 Oct 07
for me, education is much more important than money... it is worth it to spend the money once off but he will gain the benefit for a long long time... knowing how to speak english fluently has a lot of benefits nowadays... so i will suggest that he goes for it... he will earn more money later in the future after he finishes the course and that money will cover the money that he spends for the course...
@nady100011 (594)
• United Arab Emirates
17 Oct 07
Education in most cases brings money so, he has to study and pay money to gain more in the future.
About me, I always do that pay for the future position that are waiting for me.
@drknlvly6781 (6246)
• United States
2 Nov 07
I would tell him to go ahead and invest in the tuition. There are so many cases where a foreign company who does international business puts a person on the phone who may have very high sales skills, but since the person has a very thick accent, the message is not conveyed very well. Its frustrating to have to ask a person five times what they said, for both the listener and the speaker. I believe that the training he will get will prove to be very valuable in his job search
@youless (112601)
• Guangzhou, China
17 Oct 07
That is just so expensive. And actually I think it is not necessary to go to this kind of place to learn English. You can learn it anytime as you want. Nowadays you can watch TV, movie and listen to English songs. And you can also find lots of foreign friends online. As long as you try to communicate with each other frequently, you will make a progess in a short time. This is my experience.
@SHAMRACK (8576)
• India
17 Oct 07
Hi,
I hope with better educated money is not a constrain. As in US we may get better infrastructures and this may effect the performance and development of person who educated and willing to develope. Money can be got for an well educated man even in his country according the vacancy but for personal development I hope better infrastructe and atmosphere is needed.
@tujiagirl (368)
• China
17 Oct 07
I can understand your hesitation. Most of Chinese's oral English is not good enough if we want to get a job in a foreign company or international trading company,even though a college graduate have studied English for at least 10 years.So some of us go to English training center. The fee is very expensive,especially in the big cities, such as Shanghai,Beijng. It has become more expensice since we have been in a inflation.
Did you try other training centers? Or you can try to register a oral English class in universities. There are so many universities in Shanghai,may be you can get a free training. 2000 dollars is so expensive that If I were you I would not accept it.
@pbarjatiya (163)
• India
17 Oct 07
I believe education is more important. This because if one is educated then its easy to find ways to earn money from right sources. If one is educated he is worth doing a job that requires skills and has to be paid according to that.Once you are educated you can work atleast with little compromises but atleast job gurantee at some or the other place is always there which uneducated ppl lack.When you get enough experience you can work on your own terms and conditions as then not only your education but also your experience pays off.
@faith210 (11224)
• Philippines
16 Oct 07
Hi monicazhang! Oh that is really a lot of money but then it will be a wise investment for the future. As you have just said that most companies in Shanghai prefer applicants with good English skills. So, if you have money to spare, then i suggest that he enroll in that English Training Center so he can acquire the necessary skills. I think it will boost his chances to be hired in a very good position if he does. But as you have just said that money is really a big consideration, so maybe he can do study and work part time in companies within your area where English skills is not necessary in the meantime. Good luck and have a nice day.
@saibunny (84)
• India
17 Oct 07
Without doubt... Education is more important than money. Regarding the problem faced by your friend. I think, if he could not afford goint to EF let him try some where else. Learning English now a days not a problem at all. He can buy some good books from the market which are bilingual and refer them. English could be well developed by conversation. Let him always talk in english all the time with all people known to him. Listen to good english being spoken by others like on TV. I am sure within 6 months he would be fluent in it.
@shy_gal (235)
• Malaysia
16 Oct 07
Nowadays english is most important in the social, if someone do not have a well spoken english, it will more difficult to get a higher post in the company.
Everything need to invest before get back the return, so he might go to study his english as your boyfriend done it already. Maybe you van go to survive the other provider and compare their prices.
If the fee is too high, maybe can ask the installment payment from the tuition provider or get finance facility from company!!
For my own view, if do not have high education then we can't earn much salary. I might get lower increment compare with those get a higher level of education.
@moondan (712)
• China
17 Oct 07
It is hard to say,maybe most people will say that education is more important,but to recieve better education need many money.As a student,my spoken english is poor,i want to take part in institution that teach you spoken english.(you can talk with foreigner teacher,and practice)My friends all say it is useful and good.But the tuition fee is very expensive.So i now earn money and more to speak with my classmate.Your boyfriend can practice by himself,maybe the effect is not better than visiting EF,but you can accumulate,i think one day he can be successful.
@linda021 (100)
• China
17 Oct 07
i think the education is very important ,and i work in shanghai now ,there are too many college graduates ,and if you had not skill ,it is not good .i know the EF,i visit there before ,if you want to study english from EF ,it need much money ,so i want to know many foreigner friends from mylot ,.so i can save much money: )
