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Hong Kong education system

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  1. #21

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    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:
    In English-speaking countries, there are often intensive English immersion courses for new immigrants and often some tailor-made courses for their kids. I don't see any equivalent in Hong Kong for expat kids learning cantonese.
    I have no interests in the other part of the debate but actually there is a scheme in place whereby several local schools offer this type of program.

    Delia Memorial School in Mei Foo is one of them for example

  2. #22

    Delia Memorial is an English Medium school though isn't it?


  3. #23

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    as I said:

    To render timely and appropriate support to newly arrived NCS children for them to integrate
    smoothly into the local education system and wider community, EDB has been providing school
    placement services to these children after their arrival at Hong Kong. They can choose to enrol into
    a full-time six-month Initiation Programme prior to their entry to mainstream schools. For those
    who choose to enter mainstream schools direct, EDB has commissioned non-governmental
    organisations (NGO) to operate a part-time 60-hour Induction Programmes for them.
    Public-sector schools (referring to government, aided and caput schools) and schools under the
    Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS), admitting these children will also be provided with a School-based
    Support Scheme (SBSS) Grant to operate school-based support programmes for them.
    Initiation Programme
    ...........

    www.edb.gov.hk/FileManager/EN/Content.../ncs%200809%20list.pd...


  4. #24

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    Quote Originally Posted by Brown_By_Nature:
    Delia Memorial is an English Medium school though isn't it?
    See this document and see annex V for what you are looking for:
    http://www.edb.gov.hk/FileManager/EN...dec%202011.pdf

    But according to Watercooler, its just too hard for ordinary non-chinese kids Makes you wonder what special talents these local kids must have...

  5. #25

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    Quote Originally Posted by HowardCoombs:
    I have met enough of them to know the various reasons. Whether I know better or not is really not relevant. Why they do not is still irrelevant. Why are your trying your damnest to take this off topic?


    You're assumption is just that, an assumption. We are talking about exams and education systems, would you like to make a contribution to the discussion at hand or do you insist on talking about expats, how hard cantonese is and ESF and other topics not yet asked for....
    Arghhhh, I'm not going off-topic, I promised, ok. I'm discussing about local school system and what to expect from it.

    Mat: Thanks for pointing that out. But do you know how effective it is? I have heard of Indian/Pakistani/Nepali migrants sending their kids to some cantonese programs, but have not heard from Western expats doing the same.

    HC: No I'm not saying local kids are extra talented (they are not), but just adapting to the system can be rather tricky. Otherwise, there would have been alot more expat kids in the local school system, The fact that there are hardly any does say something though, perhaps not just about the local system but also something about those expats as well...
    Last edited by Watercooler; 08-05-2012 at 04:15 PM.

  6. #26

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    That's really useful information.

    A short (slightly related) story. When I was 5, I went skiing with my mum and dad, and some friends of the family who also had a 5-yr old. Me and the other girl were enrolled in ski-school - run by a large German woman who didn't speak a word of English. After the first day, my friend cried to her mum because she didn't understand what was going on, and her mum pulled her out of the school and pressured my mum to pull me out too (so I could spend time with the other kid). To this day my Mum has regretted this and regularly repeats this, saying things like "if only I had left you in there you would have been able not only to ski but speak German by now"! It might have been an exaggeration, but it does highlight that 1) short term pain for 2) longer term gain.

    I wish she'd left me in too. My skiing technique has never developed as well as it could!

    HowardCoombs and Fiona in HKG like this.

  7. #27

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    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:

    Mat: Thanks for pointing that out. But do you know how effective it is? I have heard of Indian/Pakistani/Nepali migrants sending their kids to some cantonese programs, but have not heard from Western expats doing the same.
    Poor people do things that are best for their kids. Expats (particularly western expats) listen to kids crying and go soft. Well, except for HC!
    carang likes this.

  8. #28

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    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:
    Arghhhh, I'm not going off-topic, I promised, ok. I'm discussing about local school system and what to expect from it.
    OP didnt ask anything about what to expect - he asked about the exams, 6-3-3 etc.

    Mat: Thanks for pointing that out. But do you know how effective it is? I have heard of Indian/Pakistani/Nepali migrants sending their kids to some cantonese programs, but have not heard from Western expats doing the same.
    Simple reason: In general the South Asian community is not as affluent and cannot afford the fees charged by ESF and other international schools. A few bright ones get into the English medium DSS schools but for the rest of the normal ones, they have no choice but to go with Cantonese.

    HC: No I'm not saying local kids are extra talented (they are not), but just adapting to the system can be rather tricky. Otherwise, there would have been alot more expat kids in the local school syste, The fact that there are hardly any does say something though.
    Here are the reasons most expats dont choose Chinese education:
    1) Short term expats are mostly scared bunch. Look at all the frightened people coming here for advice wondering where they are going to buy their soap. Would you expect them to then put their kids into *gulp* a Chinese school? I have American friends who refused to put their kids into CDNIS because it was "Canadian"...it was HKIS or nothing.

    2) Expats tend to have more disposable income and/or education budget. When you can go to a top international school why put your kid into a crowded local school? Many dont even consider the fact that there are private Cantonese & Mandarin schools in town.

    3) Multilingual education is tough. Its a lot of work, its a lot of hassle and most people just cant face the commitment and decide to take the easier route.

    4) There are a lot of people like you, in the sidelines, telling them how hard&scary it is, high failure rates etc etc etc. There are very few people to actually lend a hand to those who want to have a go at it.

    Been there, done that, its hard but well worth the effort.
    carang likes this.

  9. #29

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    Quote Originally Posted by Watercooler:

    Mat: Thanks for pointing that out. But do you know how effective it is? I have heard of Indian/Pakistani/Nepali migrants sending their kids to some cantonese programs, but have not heard from Western expats doing the same.
    Well, my wife ran one of those programs when we arrived in HK in 2005.

    She had a majority of South east Asian (Thai, Nepali, Malay), a few Singaporeans, a few Koreans and a few Japanese. She had 2 "western" kids if I recall well (a Belgium one and a German).

    It does not change the fact that the program exists, just that many many expats are not even aware of it, or too nosy to put their kids in it,

    Effectiveness of the program - OK I think, all kids but 2 kids could join the mainstream program after 6 months.

  10. #30

    Thank you all for your posts. Didn't expect this level of interest when I started this thread just a day or 2 ago.

    Would anybody name what you consider to be the top 3 English secondary schools ? I am hoping Chinese subjects in the top 3 are not compulsory (but this assumption of mine can be quite wrong).


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