Pushing your child too far, too early

It is now possible for 15-year-olds to take college-level classes in Hong Kong. With Polytechnic University's new 'High Achievers Club', gifted Hong Kong students can enrol in university courses at an early age. And if these students choose to enter PolyU for university later on, they will earn college credit for their course work and, thus, can graduate earlier than their peers.

As someone who took a similar route and went to university in the US at the age of 13, I have a lot to say on the subject of skipping grades. Without a doubt, giving very advanced students the option to take university-level courses before they enter university has many great benefits.

For those students who are not challenged in their school - and there are many - it offers an opportunity to broaden their horizons. The fact is that some students are just exceptionally bright.

For these bright young minds, being forced to stay in a class in which everyone else is miles behind can be very painful. As a teenager growing up in the public school system in the US, I spent countless hours bored in rudimentary classes staring out of the window and twirling my pen.

While many schools in Hong Kong, particularly the private ones, do provide more advanced classes for students who are clearly ahead of the curve, not everyone can afford such schools. So programmes such as PolyU's provide a much-needed other option.

However, as an educator, I worry about the negative ramifications of this programme on students. Let's face it, Hong Kong is already home to crazy parents, who are some of the most competitive in the world. In my industry, I meet high-demanding 'tiger moms' every day. And I am worried that yet another highly selective and prestigious programme will mean many more parents pushing their children even harder.