Hong Kong educators want students to act independently, take responsibility and reconcile tensions, survey finds

Most teachers and principals also believe existing curriculum is still highly oriented towards academic pursuits and cannot benefit low achievers

Results of joint survey by Chinese University and school heads’ association released ahead of government task force’s final report on curriculum review

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A consultation document suggested that there should be more flexible learning in Hong Kong secondary schools. Photo: Nora Tam

Published: 12:37am, 17 Jan 2020Updated: 12:37am, 17 Jan 2020

Most Hong Kong teachers and principals want students to be able to act independently, reconcile tensions and dilemmas and strengthen their values education under future curriculum reforms, according to a survey.

The joint survey by Chinese University and the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools also found that a majority of educators believed the existing curriculum was still highly oriented towards academic pursuits and could not benefit low achievers.

The results were released on Thursday, ahead of a government task force’s final report, expected to be published early this year, on a review of the school curriculum.

The task force released a consultation document last June, which suggested more flexible learning in subjects including the controversial liberal studies, which pro-establishment bodies said had been behind students joining the ongoing anti-government protests which have gripped Hong Kong since last June.

The time spent preparing for exams leaves little room for anything else. Photo: Pool

The survey collected responses from 183 principals and 1,158 teachers from 213 secondary schools last September.