3
two
are
As
to tertiary education in Hong Kong. The 84% who fail to gain places, having spent
the years cramming
sciences, not well equipped to join the white-collar workforce. in New Zealand, there is mounting pressure to develop broader senior secondary curricula tailored as much to those not proceeding to university as to those who will.
9 Ways to tackle these problems are being vigorously debated in Hong Kong. Last month, a Government Commission recommended bolstering the senior secondary resources; establishing one tertiary admission exam for both universities and a uniform (three-year) length of course for undergraduate degrees. The Chinese University
University is strongly opposed to a three-year course; Hong Kong University wants more university resources. This memorandum need not cover the various strands in this debate. Suffice to say tertiary education is a contentious
issue.
Language
10
In
the
two
without Again
burdening you with a full account, education problems in Hong Kong are complicated by language. The mother tongue in
in Hong Kong is Cantonese. There are language streams in the State schools: Anglo/Chinese aud Chinese. The former use English as the medium of instruction; the latter Cantonese. (Mandarin is not used in schools and not widely spoken in the territory - another 1997 difficuliy } the 1950s about half the secondary students were enrolled in Chinese schools (although not many children actually woul to secondary school here in the 50s). Today, only about
about 10% attend the Chinese schools. It should be noted, however, that many Anglo/Chinese
little English in the classrooms. English is not spoken in most homes; and the teachers have to revert to Cantonese if they are to get anything across. This confusing situation reduces standards; and turn out students who are not equipped for the first year at Hong Kong University
the medium where English is where Cantonese has to be used with increasing frequency.
Education overseas
are
-
schools use
to
11 The shortcomings sketched out in the foregoing are largely responsible for SO many Hong Kong senior
and secondary tertiary students studying overseas. In any one year there are some 50,000 Hong Kong students off-shore. Many of
Many of these the children of the rich. It is not uncommon here meet Hong Kong Chinese children socially on school holidays from Winchester, Eton or private schools in the USA. These usually highly-talented and motivated young people will proceed to English or American universities; and they are not likely to want to take their chances on 1997.
The Brain Drain
12 Hong Kong has long been something of a transient society both for the Chinese and the expatriates. Hundreds of thousands of Chinese in the west have gone there via the territory. It is quite usual for the families of the well-to-
/do
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.