Opinion | If Hong Kong’s youth don’t want to be dragons, so be it

Name: Hong Kong students receive exam results that may determine their futures
Uploaded: 2025-01-25T19:30:08.000Z
Duration: 2 min 48 s
Description: Hong Kong students receive exam results that may determine their futures

Instead of accusing our youth of being lazy, we must ask ourselves if the hard work we demand of them actually gets the results promised

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A teenager wields a fabric dragon outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui on January 4. Photo: Nora Tam

Alice Wu

Published: 3:30am, 26 Jan 2025Updated: 2:04pm, 26 Jan 2025

Almost every parent I know wishes for their children to be successful in the future. “Hoping one’s son will become a dragon” is a Chinese idiom that encapsulates the high hopes parents have for their children.

There is “hoping”, and then there is actively paving the path to success. Most parents do what they can to invest in their children’s education, expending every effort to ensure their children get admitted to the best schools and, from there, the best universities.

Future success, theoretically, then follows. At least that is what we have been brought up to believe: better schools mean better opportunities.

Things are rarely this straightforward, though. Competition is fierce, and parents believe their children have to get a head start. The relentless pursuit of excellence has morphed into the idea of “winning at the starting line”.

This means requiring children to master multiple musical instruments, gain awards and obtain certifications at a young age. There are tutoring centres after the children get into the top schools to make sure they can get into the best universities. Then they are expected to snag prestigious jobs, leading to the dream life.

The ultimate goal appears to be the kind of success defined by achievements and a fat pay cheque. Living the lifestyle you want to lead requires you to be able to afford it. Doing as you wish means you have to be financially secure. But while there’s nothing wrong with wishing for the best for your child, some things are amiss.

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Hong Kong students receive exam results that may determine their futures