To be an education hub, Hong Kong must first do better by its children

Hong Kong aims to become an international education hub, but concerns are rising about whether its secondary school system adequately prepares students for higher education. A council representing subsidised secondary schools is advocating for more institutions to teach subjects in English. This comes as the Education Bureau reviews its policy on the medium of instruction, specifically the impact of teaching certain subjects in English. The current "mother tongue" policy, implemented in 1998, restricts English instruction in most schools, leading to a decline in English proficiency. Hong Kong's ranking on the global English Proficiency Index has fallen, raising questions about the city's ability to achieve its education hub ambitions.