Decade-long education reforms have yet to realise an initial goal of providing an enjoyable learning experience for pupils or make a dent in an entrenched culture of spoon-feeding in classrooms, say education observers.
Ahead of tomorrow's launch of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) - a cornerstone of the reforms - they said that while there were now fewer examinations, pupils were still under pressure.
'The direction of the education reform was great. However, there are problems with implementation,' said education campaigner Tso Kai-lok.
The reforms were designed to change learning in a city long criticised for its exam-oriented culture, to reduce the frequency of exams and to introduce more learning experiences outside the classroom to encourage pupils to learn and think on their own.
In a report by the Education Commission to the government in September 2000, commission chairman Antony Leung Kam-chung - later to become financial secretary - said the reforms aimed to promote lifelong learning and all-round development.
'Learning should be enjoyable,' Leung said in the report.