Primary and secondary education in Hong Kong is poised for some major reforms. Even if only some of the many proposals initiated by the Education Commission are implemented, they will amount to a sea change in the education of our next generation.
The same dynamism, however, is conspicuously absent from our universities. Tertiary institutions are supposed to be at the forefront of social development. Unfortunately, the way some university administrators and professors are going about their business is far from inspirational and visionary.
From the role of examinations in the education system to the way students are to be streamed, reform initiatives are now in the pipeline. On top of the publicised proposals, it is understood the authorities are looking into how to extend the learning experience of school children beyond the classroom. Those involved in curriculum development are eager to broaden students' horizons by integrating academic knowledge with real-life experience.
In contrast, the university system is much more entrenched and resistant to change. Institutions have been offering new courses to meet new demands. Programmes relating to e-commerce, new media, communications technology and other such subjects have mushroomed. Yet, this is still a far cry from the diversity of on-line courses in the international market. There are no statistics on how many local students have enrolled in programmes conducted by overseas institutions on the Internet. Nonetheless, it is a fact that many young professionals are turning to cyberspace to meet their learning demands.
Local universities are lagging far behind their counterparts in Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States in this respect. They may soon find themselves fighting an uphill battle to regain their lost ground.
Meanwhile, little thought has been directed to whether higher education per se needs to be redefined. Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa has been harping on the theme of life-long education. Driven by practical needs and the fear of being left behind, the young working population in particular has been rather susceptible to this idea.
