In a culture where there appears to be a strong correlation between perceptions of happiness and money/material things then the local approach is entirely logical. Where 'success' and happiness are not measured in those terms then it is not sensible.
I had a friend who got a good degree from Oxford and chose to become a postman. Why? Because he loved being a postman. He loved his job and was very happy in his life. To me he is more 'successful' than someone earning a fortune working long hours in a job they hate.
So is it just a perception? Or is the actual system here to blame. Need to get rid of all the testing and segregation based on testing no? Parents need to know that regardless of tests scores, their kids can get into college or other training programs.
In the US, you can be a kid, not study at all until you are 14. Study an hour or less from 14-18 and still get into a top university. ( rough example )
This approach isn't actually a good approach, though. Take the HKDSE English exam. If you are fluent in English, you can do well in this exam. You or I or most people on this forum could do extremely well in this exam right now with little preparation. Why? Because we are fluent in English.
Kids at school in HK have spent a lot of time focussing on exams, memorisation and regurgitation... Exam techniques... but very little time becoming fluent in English. All those hours spent over many years could have been a lot more productive. Instead they are trying to bypass their lack of fluency by memorising some key phrases and words which they hope can game the system well enough for them to pass.
Fact is if you do well in HKDSE you can go to a good university, regardless of how you did in the preceeding years. Kids (and parents and teachers) here are often going about it the wrong way IMO.
We had a student called Carina...she was with us for three years from K1 to K3. her Mum always enrolled her in the 'softer' courses we offer...so, drama, Lego, this kind of thing...Carina is fluent in English and her vocabulary is very rich, native standard...I knew it wasn't just down to us so I'd ask her where else she studied (I was her English teacher at kindergarten too) but she said she only came to our centre. Hmm. Her helper brought her to the centre and Carina's English was actually better than hers!
One day, Carina's Mum brought her and I immediately mentioned how impressed I am with Carina's English...I was surprised to discover that Mum couldn't understand me!! My wife translated and we discovered that Carina is only allowed to watch TV/DVDs if they are in English...
The mix of watching TV in English and having a helper is how she became fluent!
The principal causes for the very harsh up or out system of education is
1st Not enough university places (so room for late developers or 2nd chancers)
2nd Apallingling low starting salaries fro graduates (cheaper to hire a skilled mainlander)
The first one is easier to fix. SCAD have proven it can be successful on a small scale. Allocate some decent patches of land and allow prestigious private Universities from around the world to open up a proper full blown campus (although political risk is now probably too high). This should of been done at Kai Tak and WCCD.
For the second point this is much harder but the education system in Hong Kong should be equipping our students with a much more well rounded and global education. Something the mainlanders can't get. Now it is 4 year degree there should be subsidised compulsory exchanges to at least TWO developed countries in different continents etc. Unfortunately the current regime feels it is more important that our students look inwards to China which appears to be deep in the trap of low-middle income and no plans to get out (unless you are a party member).
Also local schools are very good. Far too much difference to teachers and school administrators but which non-locals see as a lack of creativity.
The TSA should be widened to measure creative thinking and be forced upon the four options for schooling
- Local Schools
- DSS
- Private Schools (including ESF)
- Home Schooling
This would allow more knowledge of which system adds value at which stage.
In HK?
Sure in Europe or the US because there are many different type of jobs and places. Here the economy is quite simple. Very few special career outside the usual banking lawyer, accounting, doctor teacher and logistics type of jobs.
You can make a fortune being a mechanic in the US...not so much in HK.
the type of jobs on offer in Hk is also a reason why grades are important (sadly)
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