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SCMP Editorial

The local news over the past week has been dominated by education, or more precisely, examination results – diligent pupils allocated to their favourite elite schools; secondary school heads supporting the easing of language requirements for university admission; university hopefuls facing tougher competition this year; and the best scorer ever in the university entrance exam.
Newsworthy as they are, the headlines say something about Hong Kong education and, to a certain extent, our social values.
Like it or not, good schooling and university education remain the benchmarks of success in our society.

Unfortunately, not all can make it.
Although fewer students – 59,000 – sat for the Diploma of Secondary Education exam this year, more managed to meet the minimum requirements for admission to university.
With some 15,000 publicly funded university places up for grabs – which means roughly three candidates vying for two places – the competition is stronger than last year.
Some 6,000 qualified candidates will miss out.
How to make the most of preschool education in Hong Kong
It may be coincidence that a survey found that 62 per cent of the secondary school principals supported lowering the English and Chinese proficiency requirements for university admission.
About 85 per cent agreed that publicly funded university places should be increased.
The Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools argues that society needs a diversity of talent, not just people with good language skills.
Students poor in languages but who excel in other subjects should also be given a chance.
It might be argued that universities should be open to all regardless of language proficiency.

But the truth is that the competition for university places in recent years has been less severe than before.
Separately, employers have been complaining that graduates now have weaker language skills. So it is also in the students’ own interests to reach a certain level of proficiency in languages.
The university-first mentality is rooted as early as in childhood.
Delivering the goods in DSE exams, despite huge hurdles
Owing to pressure from parents and schools, children as young as 11 already realise the importance of good schooling.
A TV news report showed a primary school pupil in tears of joy – and perhaps relief – after he was allocated to his favourite elite secondary school. He said he spent an average of five to six hours a day studying.
 The boy was among the 75 per cent of pupils who got into the school of their first choice. But many more have to settle for their lower preferences in the annual territory-wide secondary school allocation exercise.
As the Chinese saying goes, failure is the mother of success. There is more to life than just exams and university education, and certainly there are many more choices available to maximise one’s potential.


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China education

University education is not the only route to success

Hongkongers, from an early age, have it drummed into them that without a tertiary qualification, life is almost not worth living; this could not be further from the truth

Thomas Wong Tsz-hang of La Salle College, who marks the history of Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) with top mark for eight subjects and extended module in mathematics, poses for photo with his results at La Salle College in Kowloon Tsai. 11JUL18 SCMP / K. Y. Cheng

Queen’s College students review their score on the Diploma of Secondary Education exam this month. fewer students – 59,000 – sat for the exam this year, Photo: Nora Tam/SCMP

The Hong Kong students who can toast good marks in Diploma of Secondary Education exams, despite huge hurdles

John Wong’s DSE results were good enough to earn him a place at a local university. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Alison Fung Hiu-yan, a student from Hong Kong Red Cross Princesses Alexandra School. SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

19-year-old, who could only give her name as Ah Fan, landed in Lai King Correctional Institution for drug trafficking and took the DSE for the second time to improve her scores from last year. SCMP Pictures (UNDATED HANDOUT)

Hong Kong teen’s dreams of being a doctor dashed by education system’s failure to teach Chinese to ethnic minority students

Education group Unison says schools aren’t getting the proper guidance to teach pupils who grew up in a non-Chinese speaking environment

Siddhartha, 19, a Bangladeshi student who is now in The University of Hong Kong (HKU) studying finance, describes the frustration he felt when applying for medicine degree for he does not have the DSE Chinese language qualification, photographed with a Chinese textbook in Tai Kok Tsui. 27JUN18 SCMP / Nora Tam

Siddhartha’s basic Chinese was not sufficient for him to pursue a degree in medicine in the city. Photo: Nora Tam

Hong Kong DSE exam history maker Thomas Wong, 18, aspires to be a doctor and promises not to ‘get conceited’

Thomas Wong Tsz-hang of La Salle College in Hong Kong attained the highest level of 5** in eight subjects. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

(L-R) Lam Ching-wang; Wong Ching-ho; Luk Hei from St. Paul's Co-educational College, showing their Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) exam results at St. Paul's Co-educational College in Mid-Levels. 11JUL18 SCMP / Nora Tam

Good Hope School's students Cheris Lee Cheuk-ying, 17, showing their Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) exam results at Good Hope School. 11JUL18 SCMP / Dickson Lee

JPG for ONLINE

Stephanie Leung Tse-kiu and Lam Yuet-yee from Diocesan Girls’ School in Jordan, passed the exam with results, getting the top grade of 5** for seven subjects. 11JUL18 SCMP / Dickson Lee

Thousands of Hong Kong students flock to grab last VTC diploma or degree places after receiving DSE results

Students applying for self-financed degrees, associate degrees and higher diplomas at IVE Haking Wong, Cheung Sha Wan. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Students applying for self-financing degrees, associate degrees and higher diplomas at IVE Haking Wong, Cheung Sha Wan. 11JUL18 SCMP / K.Y. Cheng

Competition for Hong Kong public university places hots up as DSE exam results announced

Students take the DSE examination at Kiangsu-Chekiang College in North Point. Photo: Pool

Opinion

Hongkongers, from an early age, have it drummed into them that without a tertiary qualification, life is almost not worth living; this could not be further from the truth


Hongkongers have it drummed into them that without a tertiary qualification life is almost not worth living; it’s not true


Education

National education in Hong Kong