The Importance of Not So Important Subjects of Study in School

Was talking to an ex-student while preparing my Chinese Culture lessons when he told me that such lessons were a waste of time.

While i agree with him from one perspective, it cannot be said of the same from an educator's point of view.

The argument is more curricular time should be spent on other lessons instead as Chinese Culture lessons take up time. I thought more of it as a mismanagement by policy makers personally. If Mathematics was such an important subject that it has to be made examinable, why not Chinese Culture?

Maybe an individual can excel in Mathematics (no offence) but have no values?

Or one could say that the student can go through Chinese Culture exams for promotion but still be a cheat later in life.

But what message are we giving to our next generation when we made one examinable and the other not?

So in the end i am still going to prepare the lessons.

And hope maybe one or even more individuals can grow to appreciate the beauty of the culture or even learn a thing or two through it, be it subconscious or not.