Hong Kong students want to spread their wings but schools are chopping them down
Everyone knows that school life is hard for students in Hong Kong. There is so much pressure on us to get the best results.
As a secondary school student, having to do homework isn’t a big issue for me, but the amount keeps increasing and becomes more difficult. Preparing for the never-ending dictations and tests are the most annoying.
I wake up early to go to school, so when I return home, I should be allowed to rest. Instead, I need to immediately finish my homework. I lose all my free time after reciting (not studying) textbooks for tests and dictations.
If we have no time to do what we want, how can we develop our hobbies?
Another issue is that students do the same thing over and over. Everyone is unique. I know education gives us basic knowledge, but sometimes it loses its way.
We don’t use Pythagoras’ theorem in our daily lives, nor do we study science. It’s so frustrating to study something simply because of how important grades look on report cards.
I’m not saying everything we learn in school is meaningless, but we need to learn results aren’t everything; not everyone studies well.
However, If you fail the DSE, you basically can’t go to university, and if you can’t get that qualification, companies may overlook you.
Hong Kong’s education system is cutting off its students’ wings. We have our own dreams about our future, but we can’t fly.
Heidi Cheng, King Ling College
From the Editor
Thank you for your heartfelt letter, Heidi. I am sure many students agree with you. It seems no matter what happens, no one is going to change the education system for a while yet. Even if they did, it wouldn’t affect students who are currently in secondary school. Really we’re kind of stuck with it.
That doesn’t mean to say it has to be six years of torture. It probably will be, but it doesn’t have to be.
The only thing a student can control is their own thoughts and sometimes you’re not really in control of those.
So what can you as a student control? Well, how much time you spend on your phone, for one thing. I can hear everyone booing as I write this, but you know it’s true. Phones are time stealers. Put yours to bed after you have gone through your feed once. You’ll be surprised at how much time you’ll have to socialise and get your homework done.
Once you have that HKDSE paper in your hands, you can do anything. Kind of.
Susan, Editor