HONG KONG LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
28 June 1989
香港立法局
-一九八九年六月二十八日
54
The fact that Hong Kong is a free society, which is something we cherish and always emphasize, results in the emergence of all kinds of social phenomena many of which are unwholesome. I sometimes wonder whether freedom has been unnecessarily and excessively abused. For the sake of profit and money, many people do much to literally harm our children and young people.
For our children and young people, temptations which are sensuous are everywhere. The easy and ready availability of pornographic magazines, video tapes, soft drugs, stimulants, alcoholic drinks and cigarettes has become a tidal wave which is allowed almost unchecked. The mass media which portray violence and sex as rather "normal" ways of living have deep penetrating and damaging effects on the minds of the young. A recent survey by a well-known social service agency found that quite a sizeable number of our youngsters watch pornographic video tapes and read pornographic comic books. The concept that gambling is an essential "fun" part of life is irremovable from the value system of our young people. Can we in the adult world say that such a social environment is good for our children? We must try our best to curb the evil influences to protect our young children and young people.
Turning to education, I have always said that children in Hong Kong must be bright to survive the system of education here. Our system is rigid, unduly heavy in emphasis on examination results in an academic curriculum taught in a foreign language. Nothing really wrong with that, I agree. English is important to a community like Hong Kong. I have personally put a lot of efforts in my own school and in helping other schools to improve the quality of the teaching of English. But, the hard fact of life is that only about 25% to 30% of our children can manage an education in English and not everyone is academically inclined. I wonder why it is so difficult for us to accept the fact. What kind of provisions have we made for those children and young people who are less academic, not quite able to master and be fluent in a foreign language, and who do not and cannot score well in such examinations? Not much, I am afraid. Even with the full implementation of a hundred per-cent nine-year compulsory education, we tend to expect all our children to perform equally well and we still try to measure them in similar terms as in the past. Are we being realistic? The cry for change of curriculum is loud and clear. Right, but who will go for such modified curriculum when they see not a streak of light at the end of the tunnel. With no provision for further advancement and recognition of success in non- academic and more practical subjects and other relevant talents, many children under parental pressure are hitting their heads against the wall by vowing to go for an academic education in a foreign language leading towards success in