Reasons for Hong Kong parents sending their children abroad for secondary education
- Publication Type:
- Thesis
- Issue Date:
- 2013
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The Hong Kong Government provides free secondary education for eligible local
children. However, thousands of Hong Kong parents send their children abroad for their
secondary education each year, despite the cost, which often includes expensive tuition
fees and boarding fees. This study seeks to discover why parents make this choice. It
uses a qualitative approach to explore their reasons. Data was collected through in-depth
interviews with 15 individual parents, who expressed dissatisfaction with Hong Kong’s
educational policies, particularly those affecting academic structures and curriculum,
medium of instruction, class size and provision of university places. They also
expressed some concerns about their own ability to support their children’s
development.
The research findings indicated three themes that encompass the reasons for these
parents’ decision to send their children abroad for secondary education. The first theme
was entitled ‘Formal Learning Environment’, and included subthemes such as Arts
Subject Curriculum, English-medium Education, Small-class Teaching and Balanced
Education. The second theme was entitled ‘Informal Learning Environment’, and
included subthemes such as Self-care Skills and Independence, Peers and Social Skills
and Exposure to Different Cultures. The third theme was entitled ‘The Future of Their
Children’, and included subthemes such as Admission to Universities and Emigration.
The findings show that Hong Kong parents who can afford to send their children abroad
for education are likely to belong to the middle class. The findings demonstrate the
relationship between education and the social position of this middle class. The parents
interviewed wanted their children to sustain their class advantage, and thus mobilised
their economic resources to secure their children’s educational success, using education
as a positional good. The parents interviewed also appreciated overseas boarding
schools because the extra-curricular activities and active social life these schools
provide can nurture their children’s character and social and emotional wellbeing.
This research identifies nine reasons that contribute to knowledge in the field of
education and open up the possibility of future studies. These reasons could inform
policy-makers and prompt further research into ‘global school choice’.
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