Have Your Say
Teachers in fancy attire a gimmick
I'm writing to express my views on the article, 'Smart dress campaign to boost teachers' image' (South China Morning Post, September 26).
The article describes how a school has launched a 'smart dress campaign' to create a professional image for teachers.
The aim is to get students to see teachers and private tutors in the same light, and not always attribute their academic success to tutorial classes.
I think this campaign is ridiculous.
A growing number of students are turning to private tutors. Perhaps some of them are attracted by the tutorial schools' glamorous advertisements or cave in to peer pressure.
But the goal of these students is to get a better result in the public examinations.
They are not stupid enough to judge a tutor purely on their appearance.
They won't blindly believe that these tutors are the only ones who can improve their academic results.
Boosting teachers' image is not an appropriate method to stop students from looking for private tutors.
Teachers should focus on helping students equip themselves for the exams.
Launching such a campaign is just a gimmick.
Judy Kwok
St. Rose of Lima's College
An unhappy prefect
I've been a prefect for three years, but I'm still not enthusiastic about being one.
People always say that once you have taken on a job, you should try your best and see it through to the end. But I don't stand fully behind what is expected of prefects.
The main reason is my disapproval of school regulations.
For instance, students are not allowed to eat or drink anywhere other than the canteen.
The reason given is that it is more hygienic this way.
As prefects, we are expected to impose the rule on our classmates.
But I think that if the school is eager to clear up the problem, education is a much more effective strategy than rigid rules.
In my opinion, the students who always break the rules will rebel more if you always remind them of what they are not allowed to do.
You may be wondering why I don't resign from being a prefect.
It is because I still consider being a prefect to be a righteous job, except for these sorts of unreasonable rules.
Fong Sheung-chun Christian Alliance College
High book fees lead to illegal copying
Recently, customs officials arrested some shopkeepers who had illegally photocopied textbooks. The books were new titles.
While the shopkeepers were guilty of copyright infringement, publishers should also be held partly responsible.
Many publishers update their textbooks and raise the price every academic year.
Expensive books places a heavy burden on our parents.
Is it necessary to update books every year, or is it just to maximise profits?
Textbooks are necessities for students. We have no choice but to buy them.
But what about poor children? They have little choice but to try photocopying books.
To solve the problem, needy families could be asked to pay a reasonable royalty fee to grant permission to copy.
The government could also tighten the price regulation of textbooks.
Wong Ka-pui
Pentecostal Lam Hon Kwong School
Don't judge others too harshly
Everyone has good and bad points. So, we should try to forgive others for their negative aspects.
When I was younger, I used to dislike a person even after meeting them only once. I rarely considered others' feelings.
We should not hate a person so easily. We should try to find his or her strong points.
You will be happier and make friends easier if you are easy-going.
There was a girl I didn't like much, but one day, when I was struggling to open a door because I was carrying heavy books, she helped me.
I realised she wasn't so bad.
It was just a minor event, but it reminded me to look for the good in people.
Wong Nga-ting
Tsuen Wan Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College
Listen to your teacher and study hard
I have been watching a Japanese TV programme called Queen of the Classroom.
The programme is about a very strict class teacher and how she helps her students with their studies and inspires them generally.
The students initially dislike their strict teacher and refuse to do as she says.
But, finally, they understand the teacher's intentions and become more mature.
The show made me think about my studies and my teachers.
All of Pooi To's teachers are talented and nice. They love and care for their students.
But sometimes we don't do well in our tests. We should study hard and obey our teacher's instructions.
This will make for a harmonious atmosphere and a happy school life.
Shirley Ma Pooi To Middle School
Hit and run needs harsher penalty
A taxi recently killed an elderly lady in a hit and run.
This is a terrible thing to do - if a driver hurts someone, they should stop and see what has happened. They should also phone the police immediately.
The elderly woman should have been more careful when crossing the road. But she didn't deserve to be left bleeding on the street.
I hope the police can find the taxi driver and send him to prison.
The Legislative Council should make the punishment for hit and run cases more serious. This may be a deterrent from it happening again.
Catherine Chiu
Holy Family Canossian College
Primitive society had its good points
In primitive society, hunting and fishing brought team work into full play.
Although primitive people might not have had regular meals and good living conditions, they had skills, such as hunting and fishing.
They also had a closeness with nature that we struggle to understand.
Living in a primitive society must have been exciting. I like the fact that their vital skills are practical. Also, the untouched natural scenery must have been beautiful.
Esther Poon
The Chinese Foundation Secondary School
Be confident
Many teenagers do not try to achieve their dream because they are afraid that they won't succeed.
Hong Kong also has a growing number of teenagers who hide at home and do not want to face other people.
People often think that if they fail, others will think they are useless.
They try to evade their problems instead of deal with them.
But I think we should be confident in our abilities. If we fail, don't be discouraged. Keep trying until you succeed.
Remember, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained'.
Chan Pui-lam
Tsuen Wai Public Ho Chuen Yiu Memorial College