LettersHong Kong’s education system should prioritise nurturing a scientific outlook

Name: Coronavirus: Decoding Covid-19
Uploaded: 2020-06-16T23:40:09.000Z
Duration: 3 min 10 s
Description: Coronavirus: Decoding Covid-19

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Children conduct a science experiment as part of an event at a secondary school in Ho Man Tin in December 2014. Photo: SKH Tsoi Kung Po Secondary School

Letters

Published: 7:40am, 17 Jun 2020Updated: 7:40am, 17 Jun 2020

I refer to National People’s Congress deputy Stanley Ng Chau-pei’s disparaging remarks about Professor Yuen Kwok-yung’s study on Covid-19 transmission in Hubei. The study, published in The Lancet Microbe, suggested that 2.2 million people in the province might be infected with Covid-19, based on samples collected from asymptomatic Hongkongers returning from there. Ng, who is also president of the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions, slammed Yuen for being politically motivated and whitewashing the US’ record to smear Chinese efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Science is science. There is no such thing as “Chinese science” or “American science”. Science is not bound by geography; it is a mode of thinking and organising knowledge based on observation, experiment and evidence.

That Hong Kong society has not paid adequate attention to the importance of the scientific spirit in daily life is evident in the craze for so-called health gadgets during the Covid-19 pandemic. It’s common to see people wearing air purifiers styled as necklaces and antibacterial badges on the streets. The internet is full of advertisements about dubious health products with antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties.

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Coronavirus: Decoding Covid-19

Experts of all stripes have repeatedly cast doubts on the effectiveness of these products in preventing Covid-19. The Consumer Council or Customs should consider investigating the claimed benefits of such products.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung believes Hong Kong’s education system urgently needs to nurture in pupils a strong national identity. I beg to differ. Student stress and competitiveness are the two main problems with the education system. We should reorient the system to be more creative and encouraging in teaching and assessment, and should nurture the scientific spirit in pupils.

Anfield Tam, Quarry Bay