Hong Kong Needs Radical Rethink of Primary and Secondary Education to Meet Future Demands

Much has been said about Hong Kong’s vitality as a higher education hub. Yet, a radical rethink of our primary and secondary school system is equally necessary.

The need for a blueprint has never been clearer. Our world is increasingly defined by the powerful forces of automation enabled by artificial intelligence (AI), geopolitical tensions and flux, as well as conflicting values and perspectives. Workplaces and communities alike demand talent in possession of relational intelligence, technological literacy and pragmatism, and functional dexterity.

The billion-dollar question is whether Hong Kong is equipping its youth with these desired characteristics. Or is a mixture of inertia and risk aversion holding us back from genuinely upskilling our workforce?

Much greater emphasis must be placed on verbal communication and the in-depth dialogical cross-examination of ideas. We should introduce shorter but smartly designed examinations that test higher-order evaluative and comparative skills, coupled with a mandatory in-person viva voce – an oral examination of their answers – with suitable workload support offered for examiners.