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Six Form Two students from Singapore attended classes at Kwun Tong Government Secondary School from November 12 to 21, as part of an educational exchange programme.

Tess Tay Hwee Fung, Lau Ching See, Ong Chye Ling, Bennett Lim Wei Yang, Allen Ng Tee Tze and Dennis Nah Yun Ao, all 14, stayed with host families to sample daily life in Hong Kong and to learn more about  local culture and customs.

They also took part in school- based activities.

Chye Ling said the classroom atmosphere in the two places  were very different.

'The atmosphere here is far more open and relaxed than that in Singapore,' she said.

'In Singapore, we are very quiet in class because we feel talking will offend teachers.

'But in Hong Kong, students are very active in class; teachers share jokes with students; and  they go out to lunch together,' she said.

The most difficult  problem for her was the language  barrier.

'You need Cantonese to be able to get around.

'In Singapore, we learn English and Putonghua,' she said.

Her impression of the SAR was that  it was densely populated and had a serious air pollution problem.

Tee Tze said what touched him most was the warm hospitality of the host family.  'Since there is no winter in Singapore, I  caught flu when I first arrived. The host family was very caring. They kept asking me whether I was hungry, or not feeling well or whether I  had clothes  that needed washing.'

During his stay, he had learned better communication skills and had become a more independent person.

Hong Kong people's kindness and concern was the most memorable experience for Hwee Fung.

'It was very heartwarming. My buddy woke me up every morning to remind me to take medicine,' she said.  'I've made a lot of good friends. They took me to a lot of interesting places that I'd never been to before,  such as Mongkok and Ocean Park,' said Hwee Fung.

The educational exchange programme was sponsored by the Education Department and the Ministry of Education, Singapore.

Seven local students, Yim Ka- lok, Leung Chun-yiu, Fung Wai- yip, Kong Suet-ki, Ko Lai-shan, Chan Lui and Fong Sin-wut, all in Form Three, also experienced school life in Singapore between July 10 and 22.

They stayed at student hostels and with host families.

Suet-ki said she made use of the opportunity to improve her English.  'I was afraid of speaking English thinking they would laugh at me. But very soon I found out they were quite helpful.  Now, I have the confidence to speak English,' she said.

Though the programme had come to an end, Sin-wut said  they did not want to say goodbye because  they had developed a deep friendship.

'Although we can keep in touch via e-mail and telephone, we probably don't have the opportunity to live together nor to have so much time to have heart-to-heart talks.'

Other local schools that took part in the programme were Chiu Lut Sau Memorial Secondary School, NT Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School, Queen's College, Belilios Public School, Tsuen Wan Governmnet Secondary School and Tang Shiu Kin Victoria Government Secondary School. Singapore schools which took part were Dunman Secondary School, Zhonghua Secondary School, Nan Hua Secondary School, St Margaret's Girls' Secondary School and Catholic High School.



Student exchange plan breaks new ground