Above: Students are undergoing the transition from so-called "elite" to universal education
Looking for a new way out
A review of 9-year compulsory education
By Apple Fu
Above: Students are undergoing the transition from so-called "elite" to universal education
T he 9-year compulsory educa- tion system, which has been in effect for about two dec- ades, will be reviewed by the Education Commission.
The 9-year compulsory education was introduced in order to extend universal subsidized education. A White Paper in 1965 outlined a scheme for providing subsidized primary school places for all children in need.
However, not until 1971 had primary school places become sufficient in number for all children in the age group. Further measures were taken to make primary education compulsory and free.
The main proposal, in a 1974 White paper, extended universal education to junior secondary forms.
Then, in 1978, 9-year free schooling was introduced in levels ranging from Primary 1 to Form 3.
It aimed at giving children equal opportunities to get basic schooling regardless of their financial situation.
However, the system has faults.
Mr. Tam Man Kwan, chairman of the Board of Education, said the decline of students’ academic results and their deteriorating personal conduct have aroused controversy about the value of compulsory education.
“Some Form 1 students still don’t know the 26 letters of the alphabet,” he said.
Miss Leung, an English teacher at a secondary school in Tuen Mun, who requested that her full name be withheld, complained that smoking, absence and disorder are common among Form 1 and Form 2 classes.
The problems are attributed by some to the weak structure of 9-year compulsory education. Criticism is focused on the education system’s ambiguous teaching target, the effectiveness of the Academic Aptitude Test, the ranking scheme of secondary schools and the use of English as the teaching medium.
The inflexible syllabus and the transition from so-called “elite” to universal education worsened the situation. Under the elite system, secondary schools were not required to admit students who did not meet basic academic standards.
Secondary schools are now encouraged to avoid elite-favoured admission policies and to accept pupils at all levels of ability.
A lecturer on the Faculty of Education at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Dr. Wong Hin Wah, said the target of the system is vague.
“Before righting the wrongs of compulsory education, we need to identify a clearer education purpose,” he said.
Dr. Wong said a clear purpose could help schools improve their efficiency and effectiveness of teaching.
Part of the problem is the constant drilling of students in standardized tests. With the abolition of the Secondary School Entrance Examination, the Academic Aptitude Test was devised to regulate the flow of students from primary schools to junior secondary schools.
Dr. Lau Kwok Keung, another lecturer of the Faculty of Education at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, said that the tests are practised with good intention because practice did not emphasize memorization of materials.
“But, since schools want to maintain the quality of their students as a whole,” he said, “many preparatory exercises for the test are assigned and much pressure is imposed on students.”
Mrs. Law Lai Hing of Tuen Mun said that her 11-year-old son had to do many such exercises, and sometimes even neglected other subjects.
“The marks of his dictation fall because he spends too much time on doing those exercises,” she said.
Dr. Wong also opposed the ranking scheme of secondary schools, including grammar, pre-vocational and technical schools.
“A Primary 6 student is not mature enough to choose among those schools, and a wrong decision cannot be undone,” he said.
Dr. Lau attributed the drop of standards to the wide gap between primary and secondary school education. Most primary students cannot adapt to English-instruction lessons.
He said secondary education should be conducted in Cantonese.
Cheung Chun Ho, a Form 3 student, said that he was afraid of English when he was in Form 1.
“Many subjects were taught in English, and I just couldn’t understand what the teachers were talking about,” he said.
However, Miss Leung, who teaches at a secondary school in Tuen Mun, insisted that English was important to the Territory because close contacts with foreigners are necessary to maintain its commercial status.
She insisted that English should be the language of instruction.
Concerning the syllabus, Dr. Lee Shui Chuen, lecturer of the Department of Educational Administration and Policies, said that apart from 70 to 80 percent of the core subjects, schools should be allowed flexibility in designing their own syllabuses.
“The more choices of subjects, the wider will be the scope of students’ development,” he said.
Dr. Wong said the transition of the education system from elite to universal without improvements in syllabus, teaching method and counselling services were the root of all problems.
Furthermore, under the government’s compulsory education policy, students under 15 are forced to attend schools. Five percent of students are not promoted.
“Those who are already lagging behind experience repeating failures in examinations and regard homework as a burden,” he said. “So they lose interests in schools or even drop out.”
The 9-year education policy has been on the books now for 18 years. Dr. Lee said that further expansion to 10 or 12 years was not appropriate at this stage because problems of the system at present have not yet been solved.
Dr. Wong agreed and said, “We have to review and evaluate the 9-year compulsory education first. Then, prospects for further extension of the education system will be better.”
Dr. Wong suggested carrying out a 9-year schooling within the same school, so students would not need to determine their future in Primary 6. But, he admitted that it was difficult.
“This idea involves many questions, such as the capacity of the school,” he said. “But I think it can be implemented in a newly established one.”
“We have to consider government’s funding as well,” he added.
The Education Commission agreed that a thorough review over the system would be timely.
The Commission will study the nature, content and overall running of the system to see if it still meet the needs of Hong Kong.
The Board of Education has set up two panels and a subcommittee for the review and assessment of the system.
According to Mr. Tam, the Board would study the effectiveness of the present system.
“We appreciate public’s enthusiasm on this matter,” Mr. Tam said.
