Teacher Ma Yan-yan (left) and Principal Florence Man with students at HKTA The Yuen Yuen Institute No. 1 Secondary School in May 2016. Ma ran a group to support new immigrant students. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
Source:
https://scmp.com/comment/letters/article/2182470/pressured-hong-kong-teachers-and-students-have-reason-be-hopeful Letters
Pressured Hong Kong teachers and students have reason to be hopeful
- Policy initiatives such as investment in administrative support services and an all-graduate teaching force should ease the stress in the education system
Students of Po Leung Kuk Tin Ka Ping Primary School in Tai Po, which freed up afternoon lessons so that students could finish their homework at school, with Principal Jojo Chan Wing-yin in October 2018. Photo: K.Y. Cheng
I refer to your columnist Philip Yeung’s article on Hong Kong’s public education system, which he says is “in crisis”, with teachers and students alike showing symptoms of depression, hopelessness and fatigue (“Steer schools back to sanity”, December 30). Mr Yeung goes on to argue that “it’s time to upend this rotten system”, adding that The Education University of Hong Kong should focus on its “primary role as an educational trainer” instead of “focusing too much on international rankings”.
The challenges outlined in his article are not unique to our education system, and similar sentiments have been expressed around Asia and in the West. Let’s not allow such pessimism to dominate the discourse. Rather, we should applaud our school supervisors, principals and front-line teachers for their professionalism and devotion to nurturing our next generation.
There is no doubt that local teachers are under a lot of stress and pressure. Apart from teaching commitments, their roles have expanded to cover school administration and other duties amid challenges arising from the growing number of students with diversified educational needs and educational changes. Hence, it is highly encouraging to see the chief executive’s latest initiatives, which involve the substantial investment of public resources in creating an all-graduate teaching force and additional permanent teaching posts, not to mention the enhancement of school social work and administrative support services.
The new initiatives address the major causes of stress of the profession, namely job stability and prospects, workload and changing school settings. Teachers can spend more time on learning and teaching, playing a more meaningful role in helping students mitigate stress and motivating learning interests.
As for Education University, it has always been our core mission to nurture prospective educators and caring professionals. We will soon roll out a new curriculum structure for all education majors at the undergraduate level, with more emphasis on self-directed learning, positive and values education, and innovative teaching.
Education University has also worked with schools and other parties to develop new pedagogies in areas such as life education, special education, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and parent education.
For us, international rankings are by no means the be-all and end-all. Nonetheless, we are pleased that Education University has gone beyond the traditional concept of being an educational training institution. The increasing global recognition of our education leadership has enabled us to make greater contributions to the local sector and across the region.
Professor John Lee Chi-kin, vice-president (Academic), The Education University of Hong Kong