In mid-September, all schools across Portugal began their new academic terms. As children of Chinese immigrants return to school, the issue of children's education, a key concern for those who have undergone Portugal immigration, has once again become a topic of discussion. How should we care for the growth of the next generation? How can we cultivate them to become successful?
Receiving a standard basic education is the most fundamental requirement for every child's growth. It is the duty of every overseas Chinese parent to cultivate their children into useful individuals who can serve both their ancestral homeland and their local community. Given the current situation, exchanges between China and countries around the world are becoming increasingly frequent, and with them, the potential for friction. Resolving these issues requires talent that is well-versed in both Chinese and Western cultures, capable of contributing to cooperation and mutual development across various fields. Looking at current development trends, the education of overseas Chinese children carries the long-term vision of Chinese development, directly impacts the future of the Chinese community, and is a matter of paramount importance.
Currently, more and more Chinese parents are prioritizing their children's education and are willing to make significant sacrifices to ensure their children receive a quality education, with the goal of providing them with sufficient knowledge to excel on the stage of future society. Educational investment has become a common pursuit for most parents. Of course, among our compatriots, there are still a small number who do not attach enough importance to their children's education; they are busy with business, focus on immediate material gains, and leave their children to their own devices, causing them to miss the prime time for learning. When these children grow up, they can only become full-time employees in "three-hundred" shops (small retail stores) just like their parents.
For the future development of the Chinese community in Portugal, it is essential to strengthen investment in education, broaden children's horizons, help them find development directions and opportunities in new fields, enable them to enter promising new industries, move away from the fiercely competitive retail sector, and become useful talents in Sino-Portuguese or international exchanges.
The Watershed of Chinese Children's Education
We often observe a watershed in the lives of Chinese children. During their growth, as they transition from a state of ambiguity to self-awareness, they develop a sense of national identity. This age range is typically established around the age of 10, which is the stage when Chinese children determine which language they use to think, dream, and express themselves. Below this age, some children think in Portuguese; above this age, some children think in Chinese. We refer to this as the educational watershed.
Generally, children who arrive in Portugal or are born in Portugal before the age of 10 are naturally assimilated during their education and life in the country. They think and express themselves in Portuguese, adopt Portuguese lifestyle habits, and act and handle matters according to the behavioral norms of Portuguese people, becoming "bananas"—Chinese in appearance but Portuguese in character. Of course, this is not immutable and can change.
Apart from speaking a little Mandarin at home, "bananas" are surrounded by Portuguese people at all other times. Their conceptual thinking and lifestyle habits are completely Portuguese. Beyond their Chinese appearance, their concept of China is completely diluted. They often consider themselves Portuguese, refer to their parents as Chinese, and view Portugal as their only motherland to serve. They gradually melt into Portuguese society, lack a sense of identity with the Chinese nation, call China a foreign country, treat Portugal as their motherland, and form a new type of Portuguese-Chinese.
This new type of Portuguese-Chinese lacks interest in Chinese culture, and learning Chinese becomes their biggest trouble. Some of these children are fluent in multiple languages but are almost completely ignorant of Chinese characters. If Chinese language education is not strengthened, these children will drift further and further away from Chinese culture as they grow, eventually disappearing into the Portuguese social fabric. A significant portion of these children have excellent academic performance and can become outstanding figures in various fields in Portugal. We must strive to retain the roots of the Chinese nation within them, stimulate their interest in learning Chinese, and help them find a sense of national belonging.
Children who arrive in Portugal after the age of 10, up to 16 or 17, have received preliminary education in China. They are accustomed to Chinese ways of thinking, rarely call themselves Portuguese, and have a sense of identity with their Chinese homeland. After arriving in Portugal, these children often have to go through a very difficult language adaptation process. Children in this age group are prone to polarization. One group becomes self-isolated, unwilling to learn, and avoids study, finding their own space only on the internet. They become internet addicts who waste their precious learning time and become a new generation of "new humans" within the Chinese community; as they grow older, they can only end up in the same professions as their parents. Another group masters Portuguese during their schooling in Portugal, and thanks to their mastery of the language, their inherent Chinese intelligence is fully unleashed, making these children increasingly stand out among their Portuguese peers.
While advocating for integration into the local community, we must also maintain the fine traditions of our own nation. We must recognize our roots and not forget our heritage. Chinese children shoulder the mission of passing on two cultures. Cultivating children into useful talents who can serve society is the shared responsibility of all Chinese people.
Chinese schools play an active role in inheriting Chinese culture, but due to a lack of funds, it is difficult for Chinese education to develop in depth.
Shortcomings in the Education of Chinese Children
There are actually many shortcomings in the education of Chinese children in Portugal, and many problems are caused by the parents themselves. We should not just ensure children are fed and clothed; we must care for them, supervise them well, and provide them with a relaxed and positive environment, allowing them to grow up with democracy, love, tolerance, honesty, progress, discipline, integrity, and self-confidence, so they become citizens who are beneficial to society.
A small number of our parents not only fail to fulfill their parental responsibilities but also pass on some of their own wrong ideas to their children, causing them to adopt many of their parents' flaws. Actions speak louder than words; parents' shortcomings are often passed on to their children through the subtle influence of their own behavior.
Even worse, due to the difficulties of starting a business and the monotonous and boring life abroad, a few parents seek excitement through gambling, drugs, or prostitution. Lack of self-discipline leads to divorce and separation, which ultimately harms the children. Both sides ignore the children, forcing them to bear the pressures of life too early and leading them down a path of no return. There are many such precedents.
There are also parents who, after giving birth, entrust their children to Portuguese nannies. At first, they pay wages and take time to visit, but later, when the couple gets divorced, it directly leads to both sides abandoning the child, neither visiting nor paying the Portuguese nanny. Some Chinese children grow up in Portuguese homes until they are 14 or 15 without even knowing their own biological parents.
"If a child is not educated, it is the father's fault." Parents play an important role in the growth of their children. After many Chinese children are brought over, instead of finding ways to provide them with learning opportunities, parents leave them to their own devices. These children, who are just developing, lack self-control and become idle, getting involved in fighting, extortion, drinking, gambling, and prostitution. This causes direct harm to society, tarnishes the image of the Chinese community in Portugal, and seriously endangers the normal life of the Chinese people.
Some parents hold the backward belief that "money can solve everything," thinking that as long as they work hard to earn money, they can benefit their children and leave them with wealth so they won't have to worry about their future. They fail to take the time to connect with their children, lead by example, teach them good qualities, provide them with a correct outlook on life, or offer them opportunities for a normal education, ultimately turning their children into social burdens. They always think that the "second generation of the rich" can build on their parents' foundation and reach a higher level, but the results often prove the opposite.
Chinese parents are often authoritarian, creating a generation gap between them and their children. Parents often use "I do everything for your own good" as an excuse, which fails to resolve the rift between them. Authoritarian decisions cause children to lose their autonomy and their ability to analyze problems, leaving them unable to adapt to society once they leave their parents.
We should discuss children's education from the three aspects of morality, intelligence, and physical fitness, so that everyone can work together to educate and care for children, enabling them to benefit society and their families, and become people who are useful to society.
The Hope for Chinese Children's Education
Through my research, I have found that Chinese children studying in Portuguese schools are not necessarily the best students; the best students are often Indian immigrants.
The Chinese education system is different from the Portuguese one. It forces children to study, and children in China are burdened with heavy homework. In the process of growing up, they lose their carefree childhood too early. The "cramming" method of education makes it difficult for children in China to have creative thinking, and they often become victims driven by social interests.
In Portugal, not many native children receive higher education, and parents and schools are not too strict with them, allowing them to develop freely according to their own interests and hobbies. As long as Chinese parents in Portugal urge their children to follow their daily educational arrangements without the need for extra learning burdens, the naturally intelligent Chinese children can stand out in class, and going to university becomes no problem at all. Children who receive a good education in Portugal are recognized by Portuguese society. In future development, Chinese children who possess both Chinese and Portuguese education will be more likely to benefit from the frequent cultural exchanges between the two countries, become international talents who benefit the world, and contribute to the Chinese nation standing tall among the nations of the world.