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*Education Secretary Ng Hak-kim speaks at the opening ceremony of AIESEC Youth Summit 2013 themed "Be Inspired to Inspire" on June 14, 2013. (APD/Pan Jie). *
A local student survey shows that young people in Hong Kong are generally dissatisfied with the current development of the education system, giving a rating of 4.10 on a 0-10 scale with 10 being the highest.
Conducted by AIESEC, a local student-run organization with global network, the questionnaire is responded by 341 tertiary students aged between 18 and 25, including 27% college graduates.
The survey also shows that students evaluate "whole person development" as the lowest level of development, among five sub-items under the category of education system, namely "education for all", "response to social demands", "leadership empowerment", "life-long learning opportunity" and "whole person development".
In regards to the findings of the survey, Education Secretary Ng Hak-kim said Hong Kong government has put much emphasis on education and it is the lack of communication that leads to students' general dissatisfaction.
"Sixty-three billion Hong Kong dollars is put on education as an annual budget, equivalent of over 21% total government spending," he said, adding that education spending has been on the rise and exempted from any budget cut in the past 15 years.
Citing a Pearson report on the performance of education systems around the world, he said Hong Kong is ranked as the 3rd place among 46 countries and regions. He also said improving the education system is a long journey with no ends and the government is committed in education reforms.
Hong Kong formally implemented the "3+3+4" education reform in 2012, which not only changes the academic structure from three- to four-year undergraduate education to align with the Chinese mainland, North America and Europe, but also transform the senior secondary and undergraduate curriculum to give greater attention to non-academic learning and extracurricular experience.
Ng said his work team has spent 12 years to reform the education system, and he hoped this new curriculum could enhance youngsters' sense in common sense and abilities to manage uncertainties and adversities.
He also urged young people to take the initiative and manage their own fate. Among the four key factors of success, namely inspiration, aspiration, desperation and determination, "only one is from external," he said. "Therefore, you're your own determinant factor."
