Letters | Hong Kong can take lessons from Singapore on how to make school less stressful for the youth

Extra school counsellors in Hong Kong schools will do little to alleviate student stress in a system that prizes academic results over all else

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Students from primary, secondary and post-secondary schools attempt to form the largest floating Singapore flag in 2015. The Singaporean school curriculum includes extracurricular programmes to enhance students’ all-round development. Photo: The Straits Times

Published: 7:45am, 6 Mar 2019Updated: 7:44am, 6 Mar 2019

The government’s bid to curb youth suicide by hiring additional school counsellors is unlikely to result in a significant improvement (“All publicly funded secondary schools in Hong Kong to get two social workers in bid to tackle youth suicides as finance chief Paul Chan earmarks HK$130 million for measure”, February 27). Ultimately, the solution lies in reforming our mismanaged education system to better promote students’ all-round development and embrace the true meaning of education. In this regard, Hong Kong should learn from Singapore.

While academic competition in both cities is equally fierce, Singapore is more successful than Hong Kong in terms of delivering a holistic experience for the betterment of students. Having been educated in Singapore, I feel the teachers there value inquisitiveness, let students learn by trial and error, and assess improvement relative to each student.

This is in stark contrast to Hong Kong’s education system, where students learn by rote and are penalised by teachers and parents for the littlest mistakes.

The Singaporean curriculum includes extracurricular programmes such as the Community Involvement Programme, which requires secondary school students to do regular community service in the neighbourhood. This enables students to learn about volunteerism, develop leadership abilities and foster friendships. Hong Kong should embark on similar initiatives to raise students’ awareness of the wider community and develop the necessary skills for lifelong success.

Ultimately, Singapore’s youth are better prepared for adversity in life. The city’s well-rounded curriculum not only puts a greater focus on students’ holistic development, but also aims to curb academic stress.

Christopher Yeu, Mid-Levels