Advertisement

Problem schools survey backlash

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0

PRE-VOCATIONAL schools have dismissed criticism that their students had more behavioural problems than students attending grammar schools.

This followed the release by the Education Department of results of a survey into student behaviour. The schools claimed they were being discriminated against, with the department exaggerating the ''problem''.

The survey took in 115 grammar schools, 11 technical institutions and 11 pre-vocational schools during the 1990-91 school year. It reported that the crime rate in pre-vocational schools was six times higher than in grammar schools.

The survey studied more than 100,000 cases involving 52,000 students. Ninety per cent of the cases dealt with breaking school regulations, such as failure to do homework and being absent from lessons. The remainder were criminal acts such as assault, gambling and extortion.

But some headmasters have questioned the reliability of the survey.

Mr Sheung Kwok-chu, principal of Po Leung Kuk C.W. Chu Prevocational School, said the problem had been blown out of proportion.

Advertisement