Salvation may lie overseas
Falling short of the grades needed for sixth form in Hong Kong doesn't have to mean the end of the academic road. There is an alternative for students whose parents can afford the fees: go west.
Students can jump start their education overseas with surprisingly successful results, as the British Council's education director Katherine Forestier discovered recently when she met about 10 Hong Kong students studying in a state-run further education college in the north of England.
'Most of them had no chance of studying for A-levels in Hong Kong, and most were now on course to get high grades in their British A-levels, with offers in the bag from highly respected universities,' she said.
No figures are available for the number of Hong Kong students switching to British schools and colleges for sixth form, but university application data indicates that 10 per cent of all Hong Kong students applying for university are from either named independent sixth form, post-secondary colleges or from state further education colleges.
'It helps that students' abilities are often more readily recognised in British education,' Ms Forestier said. 'In Britain about 25 per cent of A-level entries will be awarded A grades compared with just 4 per cent in Hong Kong, and much lower for many subjects. While academic standards are high in Britain, the less stressful study environment enables students to lead more balanced lives and develop wider interests.'
Australia, where around 500 Hong Kong students a year move to take up sixth form studies and another 3,000 to join vocational and foundation courses, also offers a comfortable environment for students - one that will be showcased in the Australian Education Festival at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre this weekend.
'The Australian schooling curriculum is flexible enough to take overseas students in the last two years of their high schooling,' said Australian consul-general Murray Cobban. 'Students are now seeing the practicality of completing their final school years in Australia, so that they can have a natural, smoother transition to an Australian university.'
The Canadian Education Centre in Hong Kong said that about half of its inquiries came from FormFour and FormFive students considering completing their high school in Canada.
'Students can choose to complete high school in Canada, be awarded the province high school graduation diploma and pursue further studies in Canadian post-secondary institutions or institutions around the world,' said the centre's education counsellor Cindy Tang.
However, switching to a new life overseas as a teenager can be challenging, and parents should consider how well their child will cope, warned Michelle Mak, education adviser for the Institute of International Education which counsels parents and students considering a United States education.
Asked what advice she had for parents, she said: 'I would remind them of the difficulties that their children might face in terms of cultural adjustments, and the effects it will have on their son or daughter's grades.'
The 'culture shock' in going from Hong Kong to the US could be a major challenge in some cases, she said. 'We strongly advise students to start secondary school in the US early, ideally in Grade Nine [equivalent to Form Three] so that they have more time to adjust to the new school systems and fully integrate in the school community.
'Many international students, new to US high schools, will probably have to adjust to living with roommates, eating in a school cafeteria, having fire drills, having a locker, and attending field trips,' she said.
'Some are also not accustomed to moving from classroom to classroom as is customary in US secondary schools. International students might also encounter dietary problems as they may not be familiar with the food served or may not see anything they are allowed to eat.'
Ms Mak said any parent considering sending their child overseas for sixth form should consider alternatives, such as high school in their native country and then applying later to a US university or community college.
Ms Forestier said she had heard of students being surprised at having to make their own beds and join washing-up rosters in Britain, but added that most still adapted well and cherished their newfound independence.
'Parents should prepare them for the transition as soon as possible. Immerse them in the English language, which is possible all over Hong Kong. This can begin at home, by switching the TV channel from Jade to Pearl. Find opportunities for your child to mix with English-speakers, for example by enrolling them in sports programmes where they will mix. The more exposure they've had to English and international cultures in Hong Kong the easier it will be.'
