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SCMP Reporter

Make tours focused and accessible
More and more local secondary schools are arranging overseas study tours to broaden their students' horizons. Many parents are in favour of these trips despite some potential drawbacks.
Some teenagers in Hong Kong rarely think about global affairs.
A trip to another country, during which they will stay with a host family, will give participants a unique chance to communicate with local people and experience a different lifestyle and culture.
Students' language abilities can also be improved by these summer programmes.
Most students in Hong Kong are taught in Cantonese and they may therefore be less confident when using foreign languages, such as English.
On a study tour to an English-speaking country, students will be immersed in the language and will have to use it all the time. This will not only improve their language skills but also their confidence in using the skills.
On the other hand, the goals of these study trips may not be as clear as those for regular lessons during the school term. Students may see these tours simply as a chance to have fun and not as an opportunity to acquire extra knowledge and experience.
The resources schools put into these programmes may therefore be wasted.
In addition, the tours may be very expensive, as their price includes the cost of air tickets, accommodation and meals.
A large number of students cannot afford study tours. It is unfair to them because they lose out on such an important educational opportunity.
It would be much fairer if students who want to go on these trips were subsidised by their school.
Debby Sin Hang-yee, Kit Sam Lam Bing Yim Secondary School
Summer jobs can work for you
Nowadays many students take a job during the summer holidays and I think this is a good thing.
Working gives students experiences they would never get from reading books, and these experiences will help them to adjust to life after they graduate from school. Having tried a variety of jobs, they will also be able to select their favourite as a career goal worth striving for while they are studying.
Even a tough job with little pay could be a great experience for a student. By spending a lot of time earning very little, the student will learn the value of money and the importance of time allocation.
As long as you can cope with them, it's great to try different summer jobs. You may find each enjoyable in its own way.
Keith Cheung Ming-hang,  Ho Fung College
Keep food labels accurate and clear
Nowadays people are becoming more health conscious and want to know what is in the food they buy.
When I go shopping with my mum, we look at the food labels to make sure the food does not contain trans-fat and is not high in cholesterol.
However, a recent report revealed some food labels were not accurate while others were misleading. Because people rely on this information, we need stricter laws, and frequent checks to make sure it is reliable.
Since the costs of laboratory tests are high, some people may think such a scheme would be too expensive to implement. But health is more important than money and consumers have the right to know what is in the food they eat.
With accurate labelling, someone with a dangerous allergy can avoid foodstuffs that could potentially kill them, and people at risk from heart disease can steer clear of food containing high levels of cholesterol. Society benefits too, saving the money that would otherwise have been spent providing medical treatment.
And food manufacturers will have to think more carefully about the ingredients they use, if they want us to buy their products.
Better food labelling can give us a healthier future.
Kathleen Ng Pik Yu, Kit Sam Lam Bing Yim Secondary School
Diligence is the key
The learning process is like building a sand castle composed of countless grains of sand. Knowledge cannot be acquired in one day - it has to be accumulated little by little.
Before devising our study plan we should identify our goals, and our timetable should take into account our abilities.
After completing our homework each day, it is best to revise the material we've been taught so that we reinforce our knowledge regularly.
Remember diligence is the key to success, and practice makes prefect.
Michelle Lui, Diocesan Girls' School
Write to the editor
I have written many times to various sections of SCMP. I think the process helps to improve my English, especially during holidays when there are less opportunities to practise.
These letters are also an opportunity for me to express my feelings and I get a great sense of satisfaction seeing them published. I also feel proud others can read my letters in the newspaper.
Because the editor will have corrected my grammatical mistakes, the published letters are also an opportunity for me to learn from my mistakes.
So, hurry up and write your letter.
Fanny, Pooi To Middle School
Words to inspire
I read the lyrics when I listen to songs.
Meaningful and inspiring lyrics have always caught my attention and, to an extent, I think they can have an impact.
My favourite song is When You Believe, the theme song from the movie The Prince of Egypt. The line 'You will when you believe' encourages us to have confidence in ourselves.
Wong Sze-wing, Leung Shek  Chee College



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