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SCMP Reporter

We can gain much insight into society by looking back at what people have said and done. This is the purpose of the 'News Review'.

Mainland 'shows way on parental roles in schools'

(SCMP, January 2, 2001)

Chow Chung-yan

Co-operation between parents and teachers in Hong Kong lags far behind that of the mainland, said education experts, describing the Chief Executive's pledge on parent education as 'empty talk'.

When an education policy group visited a middle school in Xinyu, a remote town in Guangdong province, they found parents' participation in schooling there much better than that in Hong Kong.

Primary and secondary schools in Xinyu had set up an office for parents to meet teachers regularly, discussing education issues and exchanging views, said Mervyn Cheung Man-ping, chairman of the Hong Kong Education Policy Concern Organisation.

'They have a comprehensive policy, planned agenda and effective channels for the two sides to participate and discuss issues. As a result, parents are fully aware of their children's development.'

John Yeung Kam-fong, principal of Maria College, said he was impressed by the English skills of Xinyu students and believed Hong Kong could learn from the mainland's education system.

'Particularly on the home-school side, they have done very well. Their schools are more open. Parent participation is respected and welcomed,' he said.

Mr Cheung said the SAR Government did not provide enough resources to promote home-school co-operation. Twenty per cent of primary schools and 30 per cent of secondary schools were still without parent-teacher associations, Mr Cheung said.

Mr Cheung said the Parent Centre set up by the Education Department in Kowloon to distribute parent education information was under-used because of poor publicity and inconvenient opening hours.

He said the Government could provide money to schools to set up a parent-teacher liaison office.

Glossary

co-operation (n) working together

policy (n) a plan of action adopted by a person, group or government

participation (n) involvement

agenda (n) schedule or list of items to be attended to

resources (n) money available for use

distribute (v) to hand out or deliver

liaison (n) communication and contact between groups

Discussion

How important is parental involvement in education? What kind of role do you think parent-teacher associations should take up? What kind of activities should be organised?



News Review