In this article, we will take a look at the 20 worst English speaking countries in Asia. If you want to skip our detailed analysis, you can directly check out the 5 Worst English Speaking Countries in Asia.
English Proficiency Age Trends Around the Globe
Language learning is crucial for gaining an understanding of other cultures, and English is especially vital in this regard. The prevalence of the language around the world has enabled globalization to grow extensively, bringing people closer than ever. In this environment, it becomes critical to gauge global English proficiency trends, many of which are discussed in the English Proficiency Index (EPI) Report by EF Education First. EF uses three EF Standard English Tests (SET) conducted on students in 113 countries, averaging their results to find an average score for the whole country.
READ ALSO: 20 Best Countries to Study Abroad for English Speakers and 15 African Countries with the Lowest English Proficiency.
Firstly, in most regions worldwide, English proficiency has decreased among youth (18-20 years). From 2015 to 2023, English proficiency for 18-to-20-year-olds has fallen six score points in Europe, 55 score points in Asia, 57 score points in Latin America, and six score points in Africa. However, in the Middle East, it has risen by 14 points. According to EF, this decline lines up with education disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why experts are expecting it to self-correct over the next few years. Many of these countries may require an excess of English instructors; thus, viewers can look at some of the best countries to teach English in 2024.
On the contrary, English proficiency is rising in working-age adults. This trend is most visible across Europe, where from 2015 to 2023, average English proficiency scores rose 41 points for 21-to-25-year-olds, 58 points for 26-to-30-year-olds, 79 points for 31-to-40-year-olds, and 88 points for those above 40. Similar increases were seen across other regions as well. The EF report states that the increase has occurred so fast that it cannot be written off as just the aging up of the younger population. Adults are working on increasing their English skills, either through workplace-sanctioned training or personal development courses.
English by Region – Who’s Doing Well in Asia?
Regional trends amongst EPI countries are also interesting to evaluate. Starting with East Asia, its three giants (China, Japan, and South Korea) have all declined in English skills over the past four years. From 2020 to 2023, the average score for South Korea fell from 545 to 525, China went from 520 to 464, and Japan fell from 487 to 457. According to the EF report, over the same period, the number of East Asian students enrolled in US universities also decreased. For South Korea, the decrease was 20%, whereas for China, it was 30%. The report states that the two main factors were pandemic-induced travel restrictions and a growing concern over Western hegemony in the educational domain.
The Middle East exhibited a positive trend from 2020 to 2023. Most countries saw an increase in average English scores, with the exception of Kuwait and Jordan. While Kuwait’s 2023 score is the same as 2020, Jordan’s score fell 25 points over these four years. According to a 2024 report by Roya News, the Jordanian Minister for Education, Dr. Azmi Mahafzah, has stated that the main reasons for weak English skills are mediocre English teachers and overcrowding in public schools. However, a 2022 report from Jordan Times showed that English instructors in Jordan disagree with the findings of the EPI index, stating that the English-learning infrastructure in the country is pretty high-standard. The educators also pointed out that Jordanian students score high on the IELTS tests as well. In 2022, the country’s average overall band was 6.4 for the IELTS Academic Test and 6.3 for the IELTS General Test.
Thus, it is essential to note that different tests score countries differently, and you might get a slightly different picture based on which metric you’re utilizing. In the IELTS Academic Test, the Asian country at the top is Malaysia, with an average overall band score of 7.0. At the bottom is Oman, with its average overall band at 5.3. In the General Test version, Russia takes the highest spot in Asia, with an average band of 6.9. The worst performance in Asia is by Saudi Arabia, with a band score of 4.9. Oman and Saudia Arabia also rank pretty low in the EPI, so it is worth considering that Jordan’s scores might be an anomaly that presented itself due to various other factors.
Aiding English Education
As English becomes increasingly important in workplaces around the globe, apps like Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) are making it easier for people to acquire new languages. In its 2023 Language Report, Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) revealed that users completed 23 billion lessons in 2023, spending almost 1.5 billion hours in learning. In 2023, English was still the most popular language on the app, emerging as the top language in 122 countries and the second most popular language in 15 countries.
English was the most popular language across most of Asia, Latin America, and North Africa. 49% of learners said their reason for learning English was either work or education. Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) further revealed that people in Asia were especially committed to learning English for educational purposes. Education was stated as their primary motivation by a vast number of English learners in China (54%), India (40%), and Vietnam (50%). India also ranks number one in countries where English learners complete the most lessons daily.
On August 7, 2024, Duolingo, Inc. (NASDAQ:DUOL) announced that it has released a new method of learning English, which might be the app’s most advanced method as of yet. The company added 200 new units in all of its English courses, which expose learners to real-life situations, such as interviewing for jobs, offering advice, and discussing religious traditions. These new lessons correspond to levels B1 and B2 on the CEFR language proficiency scale, which is equivalent to intermediate proficiency in any language. The difference in these lessons is that they do not use translations from the user’s native language. Instead, they employ simpler English words that the learner has already acquired in order to convey the meaning of a new word. This way, users are pushed to face English the way they would have to while studying or working in an English-speaking country.
Duolingo, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:DUOL) Q2 2024 stats show that language learning isn’t going anywhere. In the second quarter of 2024, the company had 34.1 million daily active users, a 59% year-on-year increase, and 103.6 million monthly active users, a 40% year-on-year increase. Furthermore, the company also reported 8 million paid subscribers, up from 5.2 million in Q2 2024. The company’s net income from the quarter amounted to $24.4 million.
While we acknowledge the potential of DUOL stock as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
Now that we have examined overall English trends in Asia, let’s take a look at the 20 worst English-speaking countries in Asia.
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Our Methodology
To curate this list of the 20 worst English-speaking countries in Asia, we utilized the 2023 English Proficiency Index (EPI) by EF Education First. The countries in this ranking are characterized as having Low Proficiency (scores between 450-499) or Very Low Proficiency (scores lesser than 450). Individuals with Very Low Proficiency can only offer simple introductions and directions, whereas those with Low Proficiency can engage in basic, everyday conversations. The countries are ranked in descending order of their EF EPI scores, with the lowest-scoring country being the worst off and coming number one. Note that in the index itself, the countries are ranked best to worst, with the highest-scoring country being number one.
Note: For this article, we have considered transcontinental states as well. Furthermore, we have excluded Palestine from our rankings due to the ongoing geopolitical war in the country, which is one of the factors behind the lack of English education.
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20 Worst English Speaking Countries in Asia
20. Indonesia
Average Proficiency Score: 473
Indonesia ranks 20th on our list of worst English-speaking countries in Asia. Its overall rank in the EPI is 79th, which places it amongst countries with Low Proficiency. The average score for women is 463, whereas for men it is 483. The city with the best English is Jakarta, coming up to an average score of 531.
19. Syria
Average Proficiency Score: 467
Syria ranks 80th in English proficiency worldwide, based on the EF index. Despite ranking low overall, the country has shown an improvement over the past few years, with its 2020 average score being 431. Latakia is the city with the best score, reaching an average of 493.
18. China
Average Proficiency Score: 464
China ranks 18th on our list of countries with the worst English in Asia. It is also one of the countries that have shown a decrease in English proficiency over the past few years, with its EPI rank going from 38 in 2020 to 82 in 2023.
17. Azerbaijan
Average Proficiency Score: 463
Azerbaijan ranks 83 in the EF index, with an average proficiency score of 463. The city with the best results is Baku, which has an average score of 466, only 3 points higher than the national average. Women have an average of 459, whereas men average 470. It ranks 17th on our list.
16. Egypt
Average Proficiency Score: 463
Overall, English proficiency in Egypt has slightly increased since 2012, but it is still one of the Asian countries with the worst English skills. The top city is Alexandria, with an average score of 485. In 2020, Egypt had an average EPI score of 437, increasing by 26 points till 2023.
15. Kuwait
Average Proficiency Score: 461
Kuwait’s score has stayed more or less stagnant since 2020, and it ranks 15th on our list of Asian countries with the worst English skills. However, it is worth noting that it is one of the countries where women have a higher average score (470) than men (456).
14. Japan
Average Proficiency Score: 457
In 2020, Japan ranked 55th in the EF index; in 2023, it ranked 87th. The top city, Tokyo, has an average score of 503, but the national average shows a 46-point decrease from that number. This implies that while the capital may be doing well due to high tourism and business activity, the rest of the country is struggling.
13. Afghanistan
Average Proficiency Score: 456
Ongoing political instability is one of the reasons behind education issues in Afghanistan, which also impacts English skills. The country ranks 13th on our list and has an average proficiency score of 456. The top city is Herat, with an average score of 478.
12. Kyrgyzstan
Average Proficiency Score: 450
Kyrgyzstan has shown a consistent improvement in English proficiency since 2020, when it had an average score of 405. The top-scoring city is Bishkek, with an average of 484. Women have an average score of 434, whereas men’s average comes up to 467.
11. Myanmar
Average Proficiency Score: 450
Myanmar ranks 11th on our list of the worst English-speaking countries in Asia. Its 2020 score was 411, and it has increased 39 points since then. The top-scoring city is Yangon, with an average score of 469. The top age group is 21-25, averaging 466.
10. Uzbekistan
Average Proficiency Score: 442
Uzbekistan has an average score of 442 in the EPI, which puts it on the list of countries with Very Low Proficiency. It ranks tenth on our list, with women having an average score of 435 and men having an average of 458. Students from Uzbekistan also score low on the IELTS Academic Test, with the average national band being 5.8.
9. Jordan
Average Proficiency Score: 431
Not only has Jordan scored consistently low in English skills over the past few years, but the country’s overall proficiency level has decreased. The city of Amman comes up at the top, with an average score of 470. Women have an average of 424, whereas men average 439.
8. Cambodia
Average Proficiency Score: 421
Cambodia ranks eighth on our list of countries with the worst English skills in Asia. The past few years have not been able to show a consistent trend in the country, with average scores increasing and decreasing every other year. In 2023, women had an average score of 419, whereas men had an average of 427.
7. Oman
Average Proficiency Score: 418
Oman has one of the worst English skills in Asia, with an average proficiency score of 418. Women have an average of 426, which is higher than the men’s average of 412. Muscat is the top city in the country, with an average EPI score of 436.
6. Thailand
Average Proficiency Score: 416
Thailand ranks sixth on our list and has an average score of 416. According to the EPI reports, Thailand’s score has seen a massive decrease in recent years, bringing it to rank 101 worldwide. The city of Chiang Mai has the highest average score at 464.
5. Kazakhstan
Average Proficiency Score: 415
Astana, Kazakhstan’s capital, has the highest average score in the country (485). The top age group is 26-30, with an average score of 443. Women have an average score of 387, which is dangerously low, whereas men have an average of 443. It is quite possible that the national score could improve significantly if women’s English skills are improved.
4. Iraq
Average Proficiency Score: 410
The country’s overall standing has improved since 2020, when it had an average score of 383. Despite that, it is still one of the countries with the worst English skills in Asia. Women have an average of 394, whereas men average 423.
3. Saudi Arabia
Average Proficiency Score: 408
Saudi Arabia ranks third on our list and is one of the countries with the lowest English proficiency in the world. The average proficiency score for women is 431, whereas for men, it is 386. The top city is Mecca, where the average comes to around 442.
2. Yemen
Average Proficiency Score: 392
Yemen has been facing ongoing conflict and instability for the past many years, which is one of the causes behind the disruption of education. This is one reason why the country is among the worst English-speaking countries in the world, ranking second on our list.
1. Tajikistan
Average Proficiency Score: 388
Tajikistan ranks as the worst English-speaking country in Asia and the second-worst in the entire world. With an average proficiency score of 388, the statistics paint a dismal picture of English education. According to The Times of Central Asia, many English educators from Tajikistan believe that this low proficiency is due to outdated and ineffective teaching methods, which have not been updated since Soviet times. Women have an average score of 359, whereas men come up to 419.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published on Insider Monkey.