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City to host ‘Study in Hong Kong’ week to enhance role as a global education hub

How China can help Africa build human capital

Singapore parents welcome curbs on smartphone use in schools: ‘better late than never’

Samsung scion aces Seoul’s tough CSAT, sparking envy among Korean-American mums

Education

The education issue

Magazines

PostMag

Is Hong Kong facing an education crisis? Curriculum changes, ‘red lines’ and families rushing to leave

With the pandemic seeming to be on the retreat, many Hong Kong parents are making difficult decisions over their children’s education. Photo: SCMP

Students take a quiz at Gertrude Simon Lutheran College in Yuen Long, Hong Kong, during National Security Education Day on April 15, 2021. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Cheung Siu-ming at Creative Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O, where he is a former principal. Photo: SCMP

Hong Kong residents apply for a British National (Overseas) visas under the UK’s new immigration scheme at Britain’s visa centre in North Point.

Caroline Jordan, headmistress of Headington School in Oxford, UK.

Hong Kong students visit a mock subway station used for police drills as an officer stands guard during an open day to celebrate National Security Education Day at the Hong Kong Police College in Hong Kong on April 15, 2021. Photo: EPA-EFE

Diversity and inclusion have been made a key focus at Headington School in Oxford this year, says headmistress Caroline Jordan. Photo: Wiki

Mistrust of government and a new emphasis on national education could be accelerating an exodus from Hong Kong as parents seek a brighter future abroad for their children.


A year of online school has pushed children from low-income families further down the learning curve

Ben and May, from a low-income family, study via online class at home in Tsuen Wan.Photo: K. Y. Cheng

A disadvantaged student studies in a Sham Shui Po home. The pandemic has made the disparities between children from low-income and wealthy families more apparent than ever. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

School kids Ben and May (full name withheld) from a low-income family study via online class at home in Tsuen Wan amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Ben and May study at home amid the coronavirus pandemic. A year of online learning from home has taken its toll on Hong Kong students like them. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Ben and May, from a low-income family, study via online class at home in Tsuen Wan. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

A woman and her son in their subdivided flat in Hong Kong. Some students, embarrassed by their home environments, have refused to turn on their cameras while learning at home. Photo: Reuters

A student, Alice, does her homework in the subdivided home she shares with her mum. Photo: Elaine Lok

Diana Wong Mo-yee is the vice-president of the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union. Photo: courtesy of Diana Wong Mo-yee

Lora Lee is a child psychologist with a decade of experience in Hong Kong. Photo: Lora Lee

A disadvantaged student studies in a Sham Shui Po home. The pandemic has made the disparities between children from low-income and wealthy families more apparent than ever. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

It sounded like every kid’s dream – a year away from school – but a year of online learning from home has taken its toll on Hong Kong students, say teachers and parents.


Vocational training was their lifeline: five Hongkongers who found their calling by getting hands-on

Construction worker Cheung Tsz-him, who went to vocational training instead of university. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

IT Consultant Calvin Kwan, a Vocational Training Council graduate, at ICC in West Kowloon. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Landscape architect Miki Choy Mei-ki, in Hong Kong Park. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Landscape architect Miki Choy, who retrained with the Vocational Training Council in Hong Kong after a earning a university degree in communications and working as a reporter and TV production assistant. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Landscape designer Miki Choy at Three Garden Road, Central. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Construction worker Cheung Tsz-him, who trained to become a foreman in 2019, at Tuen Mun. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Wong Ngo-pong studied at the Culinary Institute and now has his own restaurant in Yuen Long. Photo: Edmond So

IT consultant Calvin Kwan at the ICC in West Kowloon. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Project manager Lai Tin-ki at Exchange Square in Central. Photo: Jonathan Wong

From odd job men to IT consultant and project manager, from reporter to landscape designer – for these Hongkongers, Vocational Training Council courses were a lifeline.


Why Hong Kong’s leading education reformer is thinking of turning to TikTok

Kai-ming Cheng was involved with Hong Kong’s education reforms in 1999, when it was recognised that society had changed, so education had to change accordingly. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Cheng in a village kindergarten in Hyderabad, India. Photo: Courtesy of Cheng Kai-ming

Cheng during research in a village in Shaanxi, China, for a World Bank project for poor provinces. Photo:  Cheng Kai-ming

Kai-ming Cheng tells Kate Whitehead about the importance of preparing students for an ever-changing future and why at 80 he’s thinking of making TikTok videos.


How the Chinese University of Hong Kong was set up for students who couldn’t get into HKU

The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

The Chinese University of Hong Kong was founded in 1963. 

Sir Robert Black was governor of Hong Kong from 1958 to 1964. 

The university was a union of three Chinese-language colleges and was set up to provide tertiary education for students who lacked the English skills to attend the University of Hong Kong.


Chinese education through history, from the ‘Six Arts’ to Confucianism, repressive rote learning and Western-style modern schools

China’s school curricula focused heavily on the Confucian canon of classical texts from 134BC until the early 20th century. Photo: Getty Images

China had one of the most developed education systems in the world before the modern era, but the rise of neo-Confucianism and the ‘eight-legged essay’ forced much-needed reforms.


‘Red tourism’ in China ahead of Communist Party centenary appears rampant … but with borders shut, where else is there to go?

Chinese tourists take photos of themselves wearing Red Army costumes as they visit the hanging bridge in the city of Luding, site of a famous 1930s civil war skirmish, in Sichuan province. Photo: Getty Images

Visitors bow and lay flowers in front of a statue of Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist China, at his birthplace in Shaoshan, on the outskirts of Changsha, Hunan province. Photo: Getty Images

Red Army soldiers crossing the Luding bridge during the Long March in 1935. Photo: Getty Images

Visitors to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan. China is not alone in revising its history to suit a nationalist narrative – the museum ignores Japan’s role as an aggressor in the second world war. Photo: Carl Court/Getty Images

People in Sakaiminato, western Japan, welcome the arrival of the Asuka II cruise ship last month. On May 1, all aboard had to disembark after a passenger tested positive for the coronavirus. Photo: Getty Images

Leia Se with a painted-on mask in Bali. The Russian influencer, and Taiwanese professional prankster Josh Paler Lin, who posted a video of her entering a supermarket on the Indonesian island, were deported for defying the country’s strict mask mandate.

Russian influencer Leia Se (centre) walks from the immigration office at Jimbaran, Bali, after being ordered to leave the resort island. Photo: AP

China’s Labour Day national holiday was a peak period for overseas holidays before the coronavirus pandemic; with borders closed, this year saw a surge in visits to places pivotal in Communist Party history as its centenary looms.


What you can learn from Netflix and other TV: History 101, who Bruce Lee was, how to be a rock star and so much more

History 101. Photo: Netflix

There’s a wealth of documentaries and educational series out there, including Netflix’s Explained which provides a handy, subject-per-episode primer on all manner of topics. Photo: Netflix

Current Sea follows the efforts of a British activist to create a protected marine zone in Cambodia. Photo: Now True

The Great Invisible investigates the continuing planetary and personal cost of the United States’ worst maritime oil-industry catastrophe. Photo: Now True

Netflix documentary The Most Unknown features nine scientists tackling existential puzzles together. Photo: Netflix

There’s a wealth of documentaries and educational series out there, from a Netflix show about the lives of Bruce Lee, Genghis Khan and others to scientists tackling existential puzzles in The Most Unknown.


Denied an education in the name of ‘free market’ economy, the elderly, semi-literate Hong Kong cleaners and sweepers betrayed by its earlier administration

In wet markets like this, swimming pools, parks and on the streets in Hong Kong is an army of underemployed and elderly cleaners and sweepers. They are the victims of colonial officials’ opposition to free compulsory education, which left those from poor families semi-literate at best. Photo: Vernon Yuen/NurPhoto via Getty Images

A Food and Environmental Hygiene Department contractor cleans and disinfects a wet market in Hong Kong. Photo: May James/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

John Cowperthwaite, financial secretary in the post-war colonial Hong Kong government, addresses a regional International Council for Scientific Management conference in 1968. His belief in minimising government spending denied a generation of poor children an education. Photo: SCMP

Walk around Hong Kong and you see an army of elderly cleaners and street sweepers, often with little to do. Denied free education by Ayn Rand disciple John Cowperthwaite, a former financial secretary, it’s all they can do.


Non-profit that empowers rural Chinese women through education celebrated in portraits of some of those it has helped

Wei Jiaxue on a kang – a large bed with burning coals underneath for warmth. Photo: Olivia Martin-McGuire

Since 2005, Educating Girls of Rural China has sponsored the education of young women like Qian Tuoxiong (pictured) – and  a new photo book reveals the impact the non-profit has had on their lives. Photo: Olivia Martin-McGuire

In 2008, Daisy Gong was accepted by Hubei University of Economics to study nutrition science. She had part of her university costs paid for by EGRC. Photo: Olivia Martin-McGuire

An elderly grandmother in Gansu featured in the Educating Girls of Rural China photo book. Photo: Olivia Martin-McGuire

Ching Tien greets girls she has sponsored through EGRC at Minxian No. 2 High School in Min County, Gansu. Photo: Olivia Martin-McGuire

Since 2005, Educating Girls of Rural China has sponsored young women’s education, helped them find work and lifted their families out of poverty. A new photo book depicts the impact the non-profit has made on their lives.


From the ultimate college town – Ames, Iowa – to Hogwarts to Wat Mahathat royal temple in Bangkok, six places to have an educational holiday

Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, the UK, was used to portray Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films. Photo: Getty Images

Swiss author Peter Stamm with a printing press at the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany. Photo: Getty Images

Nalanda was a Buddhist monastery and respected centre of learning in India. Photo: Getty Images

Wat Mahathat Yuwarajarangsarit Rajaworamahavihara temple in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo: Getty Images

Iowa State University in Iowa, Ames, the US. Photo: Getty Images

The University of Al-Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco. Photo: Getty Images

Durham Cathedral in Durham, the UK. Photo: Getty Images

Make your first trip post-Covid-19 a learning experience. From the best college town in America to the ultimate fantasy school somewhere in Scotland, there are plenty of educational destinations to choose from.


Ritz-Carlton chef on teaching kids to cook: ‘It’s a lot of work, but very rewarding’

Peter Find, the executive chef of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, talks about learning from others, and passing down his knowledge to the next generations of cooks. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

By the age of 16, Find was already cooking for wedding banquets for 100 to 150 people. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Find with children at the Ritz-Carlton Junior Masterchef Cooking classes. Photo: Ritz-Carlton

Find says occasionally there is a kid who isn’t interested, but most are very good. Photo: Ritz-Carlton

Peter Find, the executive chef of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, talks about learning from others and passing down his knowledge to the future generations of cooks.


Tolstoy, Chekhov, Turgenev, Gogol: how author George Saunders’ relationship with the written word changed after a deep dive into Russian literary giants’ short stories

Author George Saunders.

Anton Chekhov (left) and Leo Tolstoy. Some of their short stories are examined in A Swim in a Pond in the Rain (In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life), by George Saunders. Photo: Getty Images

Author George Saunders examines each chosen story in A Swim in a Pond in the Rain (In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life) for how it can inspire the reader or writer. Photo: Chloe Aftel

His deep dive into the short stories of Russian literary giants Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov, Ivan Turgenev and Nikolai Gogol changed George Saunders’ relationship with the written word.


Redecorating her family’s rented house set Hongkonger on a new career as an interior designer

The decorative focal point of Fé Valvekens’ dining room in Stanley is its hand-painted wallpaper. Photo: John Butlin

The reading nook Valvekens devised for her daughter at their house in Stanley. Photo: John Butlin

The furniture in Fe Valvekens’ living room is an eclectic mix: Photo: John Butlin

The home office and music space in Valvekens’ living room. The desk was made in Shanghai. Photo: John Butlin

A white island balances the red cabinetry in the kitchen of Valvekens’ house in Stanley. Photo: John Butlin

The entrance rug of Valvekens’ home in Stanley was sourced from Etsy. Photo: John Butlin

A striking Gyro chandelier, Knoll Tulip dining table and white Verner Panton chairs set off the hand-printed Jaipur wallpaper in Fe Valvekens’ dining room. Photo: John Butlin

Valvekens abandoned her preference for block colours when it came to styling the main bedroom of the house in Stanley. Photo: John Butlin

The firepit at Valvekens’ house in Stanley was a solution to the problem of finding matching tiles to cover the hole left by the removal of a dead tree. Photo: John Butlin

Fé Valvekens was studying residential interior design when her family moved homes in Hong Kong, giving her the chance to put into practice things she had learned.


Delicious Vietnamese recipes with a serving of inspiration – the KOTO cookbook

The cover of Koto: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam by Tracey Lister and Andreas Pohl. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Pages from Koto: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Koto: A Culinary Journey Through Vietnam presents recipes from the five regions of Vietnam, from north to south. Photo: Jonathan Wong

KOTO stands for Know One, Teach One – and is the guiding philosophy of Australia-raised Jimmy Pham, who founded a hospitality training school of that name in Vietnam for street kids.


Beatles fans can study for a master’s degree in the Fab Four at the University of Liverpool

The University of Liverpool in the UK is about to begin a new master’s degree course on the legacy of The Beatles.  Photo: University of Liverpool/The Beatles Story/Red Door News Hong Kong

Crowds gather outside the home of John Lennon in New York in December, 1980,  after the news that he had been shot and killed. Photo: Getty Images

The Beatles (from left) Paul McCartney, George Harrison, Ringo Starr and Lennon arrive in London in February, 1964, after a trip to Paris. Photo: Getty Images

The University of Liverpool’s master’s degree course on The Beatles will explore the cultural impact of the Fab Four. Photo: University of Liverpool/The Beatles Story/Red Door News Hong Kong

The Beatles Story exhibition in Liverpool is to reopen in May. Photo: University of Liverpool/The Beatles Story/Red Door News Hong Kong

Lennon memorabilia at The Beatles Story exhibition in Liverpool. Photo: University of Liverpool/The Beatles Story/Red Door News Hong Kong

A master’s degree course on the legacy of The Beatles is about to begin at University of Liverpool – and the professor leading it hopes it will show the huge cultural impact of the Fab Four.


How to make Chinese barbecued pork pasties – these char siu soh are simple and delicious

Char siu soh - Chinese puff pastry with char siu filling. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The ingredients for char siu soh. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Make the water dough for the puff pastry. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Lightly knead the water dough until it’s cohesive. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Divide the water dough and the oil dough into two even pieces. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Roll the dough into a rectangle. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Fold the dough into thirds. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Simmer the filling for about 30 seconds. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Portion the filling on the rolled-out puff pastry. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Fold the the rolled-out puff pastry over the filling. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Use the tines of a fork to decorate the edge of the char siu soh. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Bake at 200 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 180 degrees for five to 10 minutes. Photo: Jonathan Wong

The education issue

Hong Kong's education landscape has been impacted by protests, politics and the coronavirus pandemic. This Post Magazine series looks at some of the issues in the city's learning sector.