Hong Kong is seeing a growing trend of parents “worldschooling” their children, said psychologist Daisy Chow Hoi-sze. Worldschooling refers to self-directed learning in the form of travelling.
Chow observed that more local parents are seeking creative alternatives to teach their children and escape the city’s high-pressured education system.
Chow, an expert in the field of children’s education, said the concept has gained traction with modern parents who want to teach their children without being tied down by tradition or a system.
Worldschooling is a variation of home schooling, with the added facet of learning from the family’s travel experiences. Parents typically quit their jobs and take to travelling with their family from as short as a few months to a couple of years before seeking a more settled life.
The ‘modern parents’ in Chow’s observation are the opposite of Hong Kong’s “monster parents” – those who push their children excessively in the pursuit of perfect scores or top academic spots.
Clinical psychologist Venus Yiu Fong-lee said the fact that parents would go as far as to provide an alternative schooling lifestyle for their children “shows that there are problems with the system”.
“Children in Hong Kong can be seen studying for exams when they are in kindergarten,” Yiu said, who is the division’s vice-chairman at the Hong Kong Psychological Society.
According to South China Morning Post, a survey by Baptist Oi Kwan Social Service last year found that about 22% of primary students complained of constant stress. The figure was at a three-year high.
The study also found the most common cause of stress was too much homework. This was followed by preparation for secondary school and unsatisfactory grades.
There has been effort by the city’s Education Bureau to ease the pressure and move the system away from the high-pressure culture.
Earlier this year, the bureau announced an update of a controversial primary three assessment meant to move schools away from the drilling culture.
Also, during Lunar New Year, secretary for education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung appealed schools to ease the burden of homework on students over the holiday period.
The bureau has promised to continue monitoring schools to improve the high-pressure learning environment.