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Doubts about gifted education strategy
Yet, Mr Kei said the scheme had failed to serve as a platform for gifted students, especially for members of the mathematics and science stream, to exchange their experience and ideas. Some have completed a course without getting to know other gifted students.
The student leader also said there were not enough resources to cater for the demand of service and training. Sometimes when there are too many applications for an activity, lots are drawn to decide who can join the class.
ˇ§One of my friends is very good at mathematics, but he has not been nominated by the school as he is not that good at conduct and languages,ˇ¨ Mr Kei said. ˇ§With only two nominations for each school in every year, which student can join the scheme greatly depends on the policy of the school.ˇ¨
The fairness of the nomination system is a concern, according to Helen Yu Ku Siu-yin, director of the ˇ§Nurturing the Gifted and Talentedˇ¨ programme organised by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University .
Mrs Yu expressed worries that gifted students of no outstanding conduct might not be identified, as schools might just nominate students with good conduct for the programmes for exceptionally talented teenagers.
ˇ§Some participants of the scheme joined the courses for a certificate. They brought their own books to read during lessons,ˇ¨ she said.
An ex-member in the gifted students schemeˇ¦s science stream, who only gave his surname Lau, said he skipped lessons in the halfway of a biology course because the course was not interesting.
He said the course content was similar to that of an introductory course for university students and was not tailor-made for the exceptionally gifted.
ˇ§Itˇ¦s like something I can learn in secondary school. And I had to go far away from home to the UST ( University of Science and Technology) on every Saturday morning for the lectures. I started not attending classes after a few weeks,ˇ¨ said the 21-year-old Lau, who is now a university student of social sciences at his final year.
But he was impressed by the amount of resources invested in the scheme. ˇ§Many well-known professors gave lectures in the course,ˇ¨ he said.
Meanwhile, Mrs Yu said training for teachers of gifted education was needed. Her programme, which has entered its 11th year, provides a half-year course for adults who are interested in gifted education, such as parents of gifted students, educationists and teachers. ˇ§It provides a platform for them to exchange their experience,ˇ¨ she said.
