Vice-Chancellor's Report 1985-87

are i n agreemen t w i t h thi s view , i t i s nevertheles s unlikel y tha t Governmen t would g o beyon d encouragin g an d assistin g individua l school s t o chang e t o mother-tongue teachin g an d actuall y mak e thi s ste p mandatory : th e worrie s have bee n tha t student s migh t thereb y los e th e freedo m o f choic e an d lesse n their contac t wit h English . Suc h a cautiou s approac h naturall y ha s th e virtu e of bein g leas t likel y t o caus e a reaction ; o n th e othe r hand , on e canno t hel p wondering whethe r i t woul d reall y hav e an y substantia l impac t o n th e presen t trend o f downgradin g mother-tongu e teaching , an d whethe r makin g Chines e Middle school s indistinguishabl e fro m Anglo-Chines e school s woul d i n effec t allow th e proble m meantim e t o becom e eve n mor e serious . A t thei r root , th e problem s o f Sixt h For m educatio n an d o f th e mediu m of instructio n ar e cause d b y th e transplantatio n o f a Britis h educationa l syste m to Hon g Kong . A s a matter o f fact , man y o f thos e responsibl e fo r educatin g ou r young an d fo r educationa l plannin g hav e themselve s bee n steepe d i n suc h a system fo r decades , an d indee d possibl y hav e receive d al l o f thei r ow n education i n i t . Wh i le the y ma y fro m tim e t o tim e fee l frustrate d b y thes e problems , the forc e o f habi t ha s mad e i t no t eas y fo r the m t o perceiv e th e roo t o f thes e problems, o r t o dea l w i t h the m w i t h a n ope n mind . Thu s i t probabl y canno t be helpe d tha t ther e woul d ye t b e quit e a while befor e w e ca n regai n a simpl e and rationa l patter n o f education , an d i t remain s o f importanc e fo r like-minde d educators t o wor k closel y togethe r fo r quickenin g th e pac e o f change , throug h closely monitorin g development s i n thi s are a an d makin g know n thei r view s t o the genera l publi c a s well a s th e responsibl e authorities . There i s n o denyin g today' s worl d i s a fiercel y competitiv e world , no t only i n scienc e an d technology , industr y an d internationa l trade , bu t equall y so i n cultur e an d th e domai n o f th e mind . Th e ris e o f electroni c medi a mean s that th e whol e worl d i s no w bein g shrunke n ont o a stage whic h everyon e ca n watch i n comfor t a t home , an d tha t w e an d ou r younge r generation s ar e constantly being expose d t o th e scenes , fashions , lifestyles , an d attitude s o f different nations an d peoples , assimilatin g them , comparin g them , judgin g the m and gettin g intoxicate d b y them . A n d quit e honestly , present-da y Chines e culture cannot reall y successfull y compet e w i t h th e Wes t o r Japa n i n takin g hol d of th e min d o f mos t people , especiall y th e youn g peopl e o f Hon g Kong . I t i s therefore no t surprisin g tha t eve n well-educate d an d talente d professional s often becom e subconsciousl y dazzle d an d subdue d b y Wester n idea s an d systems, and thu s fin d themselve s incapabl e o f criticall y judgin g th e qualitie s an d discerning th e defect s o f suc h idea s an d system s o n strengt h o f basi c principles . Hong Kon g i s perhap s uniquel y conduciv e t o th e growt h an d sprea d o f suc h a mentality. Wh i le i t i s als o tru e tha t bot h Hon g Kon g an d Chin a mus t continu e t o import an d lear n Wester n idea s an d system s i f the y ar e t o mak e progress , on e must neve r los e sigh t o f th e fac t tha t thi s i s for th e purpos e o f improvin g themselves, not fo r becomin g par t o f th e West , therefor e a critica l an d discernin g attitude an d a constant desir e t o exce l mus t b e kep t u p i n orde r tha t on e woul d always remai n th e maste r o f hi s ow n mind . Th e Japanes e hav e bee n absorbin g Chinese cultur e fo r centurie s eve r sinc e th e Tang an d Son g Dynasties , an d hav e remade i t an d expande d upo n i t withou t turnin g themselve s int o Chinese ; the y have als o bee n continuousl y absorbin g Wester n cultur e eve r sinc e th e Meij i Dynasty, an d hav e agai n remad e it , expande d upo n i t an d thereb y eve n buil t themselves int o on e o f th e mos t powerfu l economi c empire s o f th e world , ye t again withou t turnin g themselve s int o Englis h o r American . Thei r thirs t fo r learning fro m other s an d thei r indomitabl e spiri t fo r constantl y strengthenin g 39