Education Secretary Eddie Ng grilled in chamber over his response to deaths
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UPDATED : Wednesday, 16 March, 2016, 4:50pm
Hong Kong Secretary for Education Eddie Ng Hak-kim faced queries over the TSA at the Central Government Office in Tamar. Photo: Sam Tsang
Furious lawmakers threw “blood-stained” TSA exam papers at the education minister after Wednesday morning’s special legislative council questions addressing the recent youth suicides, criticising him for neglecting the well-being of students.
Education chief Eddie Ng Hak-kim was grilled at the council meeting for doing little since the suicides, and failed to state what concrete changes will be made to the education system which lawmakers said had been a source of stress and pressure on students, parents and teachers alike.
WATCH: lawmakers trail Eddie Ng waving red-stained exam papers
More than 20 lawmakers questioned Ng.
League of Social Democrats lawmaker “Long hair” Leung Kwok Hung and People Power’s Albert Chan Wai-yip and Ray Chan Chi-chuen called Ng a “heartless minister”, as they followed him out of the legislature, waving stacks of TSA exam papers, stained blood-red.
The three chucked the exam papers at the minister as he entered the government offices next door.
Earlier in the chamber after his speech, Ng was peppered with criticism over his handling of the schools system.
“You’ve kept on quoting what you’ve always been doing ... as if the recent suicides has nothing to do with the education system,” said education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen. “Many of the suggestions made, like more life coaching and counselling support ... are added pressure and workload on teachers and the school, who are stretched as it is.”
New People's Party's Legislator Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee (R) posed pointed questions after Eddie Ng’s address. Photo: K. Y. ChengAnother lawmaker, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, also asked: “With the increased numbers of suicides among students, have you ever looked into whether it has anything to do with your new secondary school system – with the school-based assessment and coursework?”
Responding to the questions, Ng said suicide is a complicated matter that usually has many intertwined causes. He said students faced less stress as their public exams were now down to one instead of two.
There are also more options after graduating secondary school, with the “large number” of post-graduate study options at various institutions, he said.
Ng said there is a taskforce set up to discuss the issue, with a report to be out in six months, and possibly an interim report at three months. He said emergency meetings last week yielded five immediate measures which included setting up the taskforce.
He agreed that more time and opportunities should be given to students to express their opinions and thoughts, and said that the Education Bureau is looking into what would be the best channel for them to do so.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1925834/student-suicides-prompt-blood-stained-tsa-paper
