Hong Kong students are facing dilemma...
Cantonese teaching in
schools 'killing'
students: adviser
CYNTHIA WAN
The use of Cantonese as the medium of instruction is
"killing" students, a top education adviser said
yesterday.
"The existing policy of the medium of instruction has to
face a complete shake-up," said Professor Cheng
Kai-ming, pro vice-chancellor of the University of Hong
Kong.
"Cantonese can never be the principal language at
schools. No other place in the world would use a dialect
as the medium of instruction. It is killing [the students],"
said Professor Cheng, an Education Commission
member.
Banker Antony Leung Kam-chung, the top education
aide appointed by the Government, backed the call.
"I understand that children in very low forms should
learn in their mother tongue," said Mr Leung, an
executive councillor and Education Commission
chairman.
"But for the commercial sector, English is important.
Also, with booming business on the mainland, it's not
possible to go without Putonghua."
Public-funded schools should consider going
independent to defy the policy, Mr Leung added.
The two education advisers suggested Putonghua be
used extensively in classes and a wide range of foreign
languages be taught as this was not happening in Hong
Kong schools.
Both refrained from speaking in their capacity with the
Education Commission and stressed that the medium of
instruction was not on the formal agenda.
In September 1998, more than 400 secondary schools
were ordered to teach in Cantonese, with 114 granted
exemption to continue teaching in English with Education
Department approval.
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