[lenima]

I saw a fascinating but simple documentary called "Secondary School" which is screening this month at the Hong Kong Arts Centre in Wanchai. It shows daily school life at two Band one secondary schools in Hong Kong. I recommend new parents in Hong Kong to see this movie, esp. if they are not from Hong Kong originally.

Discipline is really, really important to the teachers it seems, as well as school prestige and reputation (many appeals to the students to behave better are made based on these). At the same time, especially in one scene where a boy in trouble with his teacher is being "counseled" by another teacher, you can see teachers really care about their students, and are handled in (what looks to me like) a special "Cantonese" way.

Quite different views of the movie were given afterwards, by viewers who were either local Hong Kong people, or foreign people. Foreign people tended to see it as an obvious criticism, as the school atmosphere looked like that of a "prison," while some Hong Kong people saw it as an obvious school self-advertisement, showing the school's use of English in classes, and good student discipline.

I really recommend seeing this for any parents in Hong Kong, who do not know what the local secondary schools are like. For me it was really an eye-opener. Online booking is through www.ticketek.com.hk, or tel. no. 31288 388. There are several screening dates, including 3/14 7:30, 3/21 7:30, and some other dates. The price is $50 for adults.

[rani]

Thanks Doris for the review.

[alexday]

I have missed the show completely. I am wondering whether anyone out there have watched the show and can or would like to let me know whether it is advisable to enter local Primary School or otherwise. Or, better still, has anyone taped the show ??

I would like my daughter to be in a rather "loose" environment. She can be naughty but not "too much". The above review seems to suggest that the local Primary schools are too "restrictive" ?

My daughter is now 14 months and we are just wondering whether she should go to International schools or local school.

Any help or suggestion please ??

A

[Roger]

I put my son in a local kindergarten and he is doing very well. He is now progressing with his third language (Cantonese, the other two are Mandarin and English in that order) and has learnt to read a few characters and letters. He now enjoys looking for words he's learnt on public signs. However, look around at kindergartens and search out ones where the kids are loved and not just crammed.

[loupou]

My daughter (almost 8) is in P2 in a local school.

She is happy, but the workload is heavy (for both kids and parents).

If you plan to even consider a local Cantonese medium school, I really advise you to send your child to a local kindergarten, so she will get used to the style and also accumulate enough knowledge of written Chinese and English.

By the second week of P1, my daughet was expected to take English dictation with NO errors of spelling or punctuation.