School pinch
Comprehensive reform aims to craft tailor-made schooling
The chief executive’s inaugural Policy Address signaled the aim to nurture students into quality citizens who are socially responsible, equipped with a sense of national identity, affection for Hong Kong, and an international outlook.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government attaches great importance to education and young people. We need a stable, caring, inspiring, and satisfying teaching and learning environment for our students, teachers, and parents.
The government last July unveiled a HK$3.6 billion package of priority measures for the full spectrum of the education system from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, integrated education and special education, to post-secondary education, for the 2017-18 school year. These measures have provided both extra teachers and resources. The 2018 Budget sets aside an additional recurrent expenditure of HK$3.4 billion to drive quality education.
Enjoy learning
Launched in 2000, the education reform emphasizes the importance of whole-person development, enjoying learning and unleashing potential. Our curriculum is continuously reviewed to enlarge space and alleviate pressure on students and teachers.
The Kindergarten Education Curriculum Guide of 2017 emphasized learning through play and free exploration in play, to inculcate a love to learn among children. The Basic Education Curriculum Guide requires schools to cater for students’ learning diversity, adopt diversified learning and teaching materials and strategies, design active-learning, meaningful and effective assessment tasks, and homework based on students’ abilities, learning styles and interests.
We aim to develop students’ motivation to experience the meaning and enjoyment of learning. We also emphasize other learning experiences and lifeplanning education to broaden students’ vision. Schools are urged to formulate school-based homework to value quality rather than quantity. We seek to remove rote learning and excessive mechanical copying or drilling.
Reduced exam stress
Our curriculum is less driven by public examinations. The Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination replaced the two previous selective exams. In addition to traditional academic subjects, students can now choose from a wide range of applied learning subjects based on their own interests. This year, we have streamlined the Territory-wide System Assessment in Primary 3 to remove the stress from pressure and drilling.
We believe that each student is unique and everyone can perform well and enjoy pursuing education and dreams. We aim to create multiple pathways for secondary school leavers. Both the publicly-funded and self-financing sectors are now providing more diversified study choices across academic, vocational, professional education and training.
Mental well-being
Pressure on students does not originate from study only. Promoting self-reliance and mental wellness is important and requires the joint effort of government departments and welfare agencies. The on-going “Joyful@School” Campaign is a signature program to enhance students’ awareness and understanding of mental health.
“Healthy lifestyle and positive development of students” is another priority theme of the Quality Education Fund which provides support for related projects. The “one social worker for each school” policy will be implemented in primary schools in the 2018-19 school year.
Much has been done at the system and school levels to eradicate study pressure on students. However, we won’t succeed without the same change in families. Parents have a great impact on the psychological well-being of their children. In helping students manage their study pressure, parents and schools both play an important role.
Parents included
The Education Bureau (EDB) and the Committee on HomeSchool Co-operation (CHSC) have been promoting home-school cooperation to help students face academic and other challenges. The CHSC takes an active role in organizing parent activities and seminars to equip parents with the necessary knowledge to help their children grow and develop, while enhancing their parental skills. We introduced in February this year a one-stop website “Smart Parent Net” to serve information on parent education through the Internet.
There is no quick fix for complicated problems. Last year, the EDB set up several task forces, with the participation of education experts, professionals and stakeholders, to conduct comprehensive reviews to improve the existing education system, remove encumbrances for the education sector and relieve pressure on students and teachers. The task forces are progressing well.
Active listening
To lead our students from pressure to pleasure in the pursuit of education and dreams, we need a common goal and concerted effort in the community. The administration has adopted a new style through active listening. The Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuetngor hosted the first-ever annual “Chief Executive Summit on Quality Education” in June this year. We will continue to reach out to the community, listen to your views, and chart the future together.