Editorial | Hong Kong seriously failing its students
Standards are falling – in English, Chinese and maths – and officials can no longer continue to blame the decline on the Covid-19 pandemic
Hong Kong has yet to catch up in many ways after the Covid-19 pandemic left the city with a multitude of problems.
An obvious example is the slower-than-expected pace of economic recovery, as reflected in more vacant shops and a less vibrant nightlife since pandemic-control measures were removed almost two years ago. Just as worthy of concern, but perhaps less noticeable are the falling standards in a number of subjects among local students.
Worldwide, there have been many studies showing how the disruption of school life has taken a heavy toll on education.
The latest evidence comes from Hong Kong’s annual Territory-wide System Assessment, in which only 67 per cent of Form Three pupils passed the English language section, a drop of 0.8 percentage points from the previous year, representing a new low.
The downward trend was also found among Primary Three pupils, with the percentage attaining a basic level of English language competency slipping 0.8 percentage point to 78.7 per cent, the lowest since 2005.
Some 80.9 per cent passed the Chinese language test, the lowest since the assessment was launched in primary schools. Their performance in maths also suffered a decline, with 85.3 per cent passing the test, the lowest since 2005.
