Dear Editor,
As secondary schools are encountering the problem of decreasing number of pupils, the government suggests overhauling the education system by implementing class reduction in schools instead of introducing small-class teaching. Although the former way seems to be simpler and cheaper than the latter one, the game is not worth the candle. From my perspective as a student, if we do not carry out small-class teaching but simply reducing the number of classes, we will undoubtedly lose much more in the future than what we have saved today.
To begin with, our education system is falling behind when compared to the advanced countries and cities. Despite the duck-suckling and exam-oriented teaching methods which have dropped by these places in early years, the huge class size is also the core reason for the problem. With similar subjects and level of modernisation, the successful examples of small classes in countries like Japan and Australia imply that a smaller class size is nothing detrimental, but beneficial to students. If we still do not follow suit, our students will soon become uncompetitive.
Actually, the main reason for the delayed implementation of small-class teaching is due to the discouraging attitude of Hong Kong government. The Education Bureau is unwilling to carry out the reform as it will, in their word, ‘waste’ many resources. The reluctance of reducing class size consequently leads to the scrapping of the small-class teaching. After all, the young generation who is going to receive education will bear the brunt of a relatively ‘bigger’ class. Although the society criticises fiercely on this issue, the government is not renouncing its policy anyway.
After mentioning the backwardness of Hong Kong’s education, I would like to further stress the necessity of implementing small-class teaching by stating its advantages. These benefits can be categorized into two aspects, which are teaching and learning efficiency.
First and foremost, the effectiveness of teaching can be enhanced when teachers are facing a smaller class. Imagine if we were class teachers, it would be easier and less time consuming for us to remember 23 faces rather than 40. Similarly, teachers are able to build up closer and deeper relationships with their students in small classes. By investigating the background of different students, the teaching focus can be better tailor-made. However, in schools with bigger classes, teachers are always busy in marking exercise books which the number is double of that in small-class teaching schools. They seldom talk to students and are unable to discover students’ needs. In the long run, those who receive a personalised nurture will have a more significant improvement than those receiving a general one. It is because within a smaller class, more focused concentration will be given to each student. Therefore, the implementation of small class teaching can raise teaching quality.
Meanwhile, the learning efficiency of students can be further uplifted by smaller class size. For instance, we all had the experience of performing experiments in Sciences Lessons. It is sometimes really crowded when we were asked to have groups of 5-6 students. Nonetheless, Small class teaching can rectify the situation by having a smaller group. This can then benefit the learning process of students by provoking their thoughts. The same principle is also illustrated with other interactive activities like group discussions. Through active participation in lessons, students can digest the knowledge they attained more efficiently.
On the other hand, the reduction in class number is just an expedient which is totally lack of foresight. According to the assumption of the government, even with the declining birth rate, the number of students in the low-banding schools can still meet the requirement if other schools cut one class of F.1. Although this idea has nothing wrong superficially, it fails to eradicate the root question, which is the low teaching quality in those schools. A class reduction can in no ways enhance their competitiveness. In contrast, the reduction in class size will on one hand eliminate the problem of low enrolment in schools, while raising the quality of students by effective teaching and learning system at the same time.
To sum up, the reason for the government not to implement small-class teaching is nothing more than an excuse. The education reform will be successful only when the Bureau is more conscious of the long-term benefits of both the students and society. Thus, small class teaching is the only way-out.