Letters to the Editor
|
Praise from students Several months have passed since the publication of the Hong Kong Certificate Examination results. If you noticed, you would find that there were far fewer cases of student suicide compared with the same period last year. What has helped reducing the number of teenager suicidal cases in merely one year? For this, we should heartily praise the work done by those volunteer bodies in Hong Kong like the Samaritan Association. One month before the publication of examination results, a lot of promotion work was done by associated bodies aiming at opening up the youths' minds. Large advertisements could be found inside many newspapers everyday. Hotlines for students were shown on television within nearly every commercial period. A large number of pamphlets were given to students on streets. The ability of the above measures in helping the teenagers overcoming their stress was guaranteed by the success of that promotion work this year. As a student myself, I greatly appreciate the emergence of such care for our younger generation. Under the present education system in Hong Kong, the success of students in public examinations means success for them in their future careers. Although this belief may not be totally correct, such a belief is already enough to ruin a teenager. Through these voluntary bodies, correct messages can be sent to students more easily. As a matter of fact, failure in examinations does not necessarily mean the end of the world. However, such a view can hardly be grasped by young people of only 15 or 16 years old. By further promotions and education from voluntary bodies which concern the future of our youngsters and thus the future of Hong Kong, I sincerely hope that one day, no young people will hurt themselves merely because of their poor examination results. Should the present examination and education system in Hong Kong be changed? Without a doubt, it should, but it is really hard to do so as every government would like to produce citizens with high education standard. As consideration of quality is always placed above consideration of quantity, unfairness and cruelty will continue to prevail in the education system in Hong Kong. What we, students, can do to help ourselves are to equip ourselves with a correct belief: life is always our most precious possession on earth. |
| Chan Wing Shan Kwun Tong |
Dangers on the Internet One of the advantages of being a university student is the easy access to the international computer network. I can easily get the information and graphics I need for presentations and homework from the Internet; I can also keep close contact with my friends, especially those who are abroad, without spending money on a long distant phone call. It is a truism that the Internet has shortened the distances separating people — at least figuratively speaking. But I am also aware of the underlying dangers in using this system. I know from the popular TV newsmagazine show 60 minutes + that the personal information we put into the Internet can be read easily by unknown parties. In America, there was a case in which a boss fired one of his subordinates because the latter used the email system in the office for personal matters. The case clearly shows that our personal messages in the Internet can be read by unauthorised parties without our permission. Another problem I encounter in using the Internet is the spread of computer viruses. Our PCs can be easily infected by numerous "species" of virus if we download infected graphics into our computers. I have a friend whose computer contracted so many types of virus that it was finally rendered incurable. Some virus makers intentionally spread virus through the Internet. And it is not rare for one virus to render a large number of computers in the world paralysed in a single day. Unfortunately, at the moment we can do little to fix these problems. There are a couple of reasons for this. First is because it is difficult to control an international network which has such a huge volume. Second is because the advances of technology are by far faster than any enactment of laws or regulations. Absolutely, the advances of science and technology can improve our quality of life, but we have to bear in mind to keep the pace of change under control.
|
|
Sin Mei Yuk Tsuen Wan |
|
Hong Kong's way of life Is there any chance your magazine could write more articles about the traditional way of life in Hong Kong? Things change so rapidly here that there should be some attempt to chronicle the past. |
|
Name withheld by request Sha Tin |
| Letters to the editor should be addressed to: The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Room 204, Humanities Building, New Asia College. Letters may be sent by email to s956595@mailserv.cuhk.hk. All letters must include names and addresses. |
December 1996
Return to contents