Hong Kong remains dependent on the energy and enterprise of its people to maintain a competitive edge. Education is now key to exploiting those qualities. Our city cannot afford to waste its human capital. The Ombudsman's latest report deals with an important aspect for educators and parents alike - identifying children with specific learning difficulties as early as possible. A common example is dyslexia, a problem in reading and writing caused by difficulty in seeing letter or character shapes.
Children with learning difficulties are special in their own way. They may underperform compared with their peers in important areas but very often they are of average or above average intelligence. The earlier they are identified, assessed and given the support they need, the better chance they have to fulfil their potential.
Specific learning difficulties are not widely understood. Dyslexia, for example, is not a bar to success, wealth and fame, as evidenced by a global who's who of examples in almost every walk of life. But there is no who's who of those whose lives might have been changed for the better with the right help at the right time.
As we report today, the Ombudsman has found that data gathered by the Education and Manpower Bureau about children with specific learning difficulties might not tell the whole story. Given that figures recorded overseas for the proportion of children with learning difficulties runs as high as 3 per cent to more than 8 per cent, Hong Kong's rate of 0.43 per cent does seem low.
The bureau relies on teachers observing Primary One pupils' performance to identify those who need help. The Health Department also provides assessment services for preschool children. The figures suggest there are gaps in the safety net.
The Ombudsman has found room for improvement in several areas, including assessment criteria and the accuracy of data. One of the biggest obstacles to early detection, however, is low parental awareness. The Ombudsman has rightly called for a campaign to raise it. That could be the single most effective step to helping children overcome learning difficulties.
