Going the extra mile

Pressure to secure a coveted place at a top primary school may prompt some parents to enrol their child in an excessive number of extra-curricular activities. By the time a child turns six, some parents have amassed a thick portfolio to submit to private, international or elite schools.

Fanny Lee Wai-wing's six-year-old daughter, Rachel Li Wing-Win, was recently admitted to Hong Kong University Graduates Association (HKUGA) Primary School in Chai Wan. The Primary One student plays the piano, swims and is enrolled in English and Putonghua lessons.

Ms Lee says she does not put pressure on her daughter, but admits some parents urge their children to take on many activities to get into a primary school.

'It's always more, more, more,' she says.

Jessie Yum Chuk-Kiu, vice-principal of the HKUGA Primary School, says extra-curricular activities aren't essential for Primary One admission, although it is beneficial for children to develop intelligence and to learn to co-operate with others.

'We would like parents to enhance their children's all-round development - [but not] for the sake of Primary One admissions,' she says.

Grace Tam Kit-ying, the principal of St Margaret's Co-educational English Secondary and Primary School in Shamshuipo, says children should not do more than two or three extra-curricular activities. '[Otherwise] the child will become overloaded and unhappy.'

To encourage a healthier approach to learning, the British Council has changed its practice of grading young children's English language ability to evaluating language development and social behaviour. Beverley Craggs, a senior teacher at the council's Early Childhood English Centre, says it becomes obvious at report time that parents rely on certificates to enhance their child's portfolio.

The Beijing Mandarin Limited language school constantly receives requests from parents for certificates to prove that their child has a foundation in Putonghua, according to head teacher Laura Wang Li-qin. The school even consults with parents to ensure the programme will meet the standards of the school they want to send their children to.

But according to Jean Wong, founder of the Jean M Wong School of Ballet, parents should not be overly ambitious.

'Any pianist or musician who has reached great heights was never forced by their parents,' she says. 'The love has to come from [the] child.'

Hilda Ho Hsiao-shun, manager of Tom Lee Music Foundation, agrees. She believes extra-curricular activities, such as studying music or joining a choir, should not be used as a tool to get into primary school. However, she adds that these activities can enhance an application if a school has to compare two children with a similar academic background.

My Musikbox founder and director Michelle Liu Schei-Won says: 'It really depends on the parent's approach. [Are extra-curricular activities] serious and putting pressure on your kid, or are you making it seem like it is just a fun activity?'