Hong Kong parents need to recognise benefits of vocational education
I refer to the report ("12 stand out from university 'in' crowd," July 14). Those who missed the minimum university entrance requirements amounted to 64.4 per cent or 51,629 of this year's secondary school graduates.
The article reported that 27,943 students or 35.6 per cent of the 79,572 secondary school students who took this year's Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination achieved a score of level 3-3-2-2 in the core subjects of English, Chinese, mathematics and liberal studies, the minimum standard required to be admitted to a university in Hong Kong.
Those who missed the minimum university entrance requirements amounted to 64.4 per cent or 51,629 of this year's secondary school graduates. The classic response to these students is, "You should have studied harder in your secondary school years, now you just have to bear the consequences." But is this helpful to them?
Of the 51,629 students who failed to achieve the minimum university entrance requirement, the majority came from band three schools. Many band three school students struggle with academic subjects. Many come from broken families and have little support at home. Others have psychological and behavioural problems. Yet, we force these young people to follow the same curriculum as band one school students.
Students in band three schools should not have the same curriculum as those in band one from Form Four onwards. A curriculum designed to gain entry into the Institute of Vocational Education (IVE) after graduation from Form Six would be more suitable.
IVE can offer these students many vocational courses that suit their interests, and will give them a good foundation when they start work.