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Class size not the only factor that affects a school's performance

Despite the heated debate between Education and Manpower Bureau officials and local educators over the issue of class size, an answer satisfactory to all parties has yet to be found. Crucial to the argument is the question of the teaching and learning effectiveness of implementing small-class teaching. Research findings may not support the case that small-class teaching necessarily enhances the quality of education, but that does not mean it is no different from the traditional large-class teaching, with 35 to 45 students in a class. Teaching and learning effectiveness relies on a number of factors and class size is just one of them.

One crucial factor is the learning abilities of students. One might find it puzzling that popular schools can admit more than 37 per class while less popular ones struggle to admit a minimum of 23. However, it is not that puzzling if we acknowledge that student learning abilities play a vital role in determining whether or not teaching and learning is effective. Class size would not be a problem at all if every student was intellectually smart, emotionally stable, attentive, motivated and hard working. In reality this is not the case, even in the most popular schools, let alone the less popular ones. The result is that the popular schools continue to attract more than enough able students while the less popular ones find it hard to attract the minimum. And it is these less popular schools that are criticised for poor teaching and for not being cost ineffective.

It is not hard to imagine that teaching less able students requires more effort and patience. But the hard work of teachers does not necessarily lead to significant improvements in students' academic achievements. As long as the perception of a school's performance and goodwill towards it are largely factors of its students' academic achievements, existing less popular schools, with disproportionately high numbers of students with weak academic foundations and poor attitudes to learning, are destined to fail. And teachers in such schools will always be criticised as ineffective because they cannot enhance student performance in terms of academic achievement.

ANDY SETO WOOD-HUNG,

Tsing Yi

Not too late for change at EMB

One week into June and schools and NETs have just received their contracts and the text for an exchange of letters for NETs who wish to stay in the same school. I delved into my new contract and yes, it says that these letters must be exchanged six months before August 15. That is February 15.

Is any of this a problem?

Some principals have been quoted in your columns (Education Post, May 14) as saying this year's timeline is only weeks later than last year. Yes, it's a problem. Last year the EMB was unable to meet its recruiting targets and this year it is behind the eight ball.

Just how can intending NETs give three months notice to their present employers and give due diligence to the job here if contracts appear two months late? It would be a courtesy to have them ready in February too.

It is past time that the EMB realised that it needs to meet Hong Kong education's imperatives rather than trundle on with its own internal ideas of what is timely.

DES MORIARTY,

Ma On Shan

Truth loses out in moral dilemma

Regarding your article, 'The good, the bad and the ugly truth about morals' (Education Post, May 21) and the challenge to evaluate the behaviour of the brother and sister who have sexual intercourse and agree not to tell anyone.

The sister one day meets a man to whom she is highly attracted. As the relationship progresses, she discovers that he is very invested in telling the truth. The sister admires this quality in her new boyfriend. She follows and is truthful too, even though there are, as always, some revelations that are uncomfortable for both.

They proceed closer to possibly marrying. Then her fiance asks her point blank who she has already had sex with. She quickly processes that she has agreed with her brother to lie about making love with him, so she lies.

However, her fiance knows her reasonably well by this time and senses that she was uncomfortable with his question and feels she may not be telling the truth. Can this story have a happy ending?

GORDON TRUSCOTT,

Tin Shui Wai

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