The Root of Education…

In the English language, the etymological root of the word education is the Latin term e-ducere which means to “draw out the potential of an individual.” I find this an immensely helpful way to think of education. It reminds us that the potential for knowledge and success already lies within us, and it is up to everyone involved in the education process to realize this potential. To draw out the potential of each student is jointly the responsibility of not only the teacher, but also the student. However, the responsibility does not end there. It is also the responsibility of the parent. Not only must parents help their children by sending them to the school most likely to draw out the potential still dormant within the child, they also play an important direct role of education. Education does not happen solely within the confines of the classroom. The work habits and values that students learn at home, the so called “informal aspects of education” play a major determining role in a child’s success in life.

But the responsibility does not even end here! As a society, we are responsible for leading each of our members to achieve his or her potential as a fellow contributor to our community. An investment in education is an investment in the future of Hong Kong. It is our responsibility, therefore, not only to support education, but to be responsible role models for the next generation. After all, the potential for success that lies in the youth of Hong Kong is the single greatest natural resource that we have. What a shame it would be to let the resource go to waste. So, I invite everyone to consider, what can you do, be it as a teacher, student, parent or as a member of society, to help Hong Kong draw out the potential of its students, and thereby, itself.

Thomas Leenders

升學之道

2001年思亞一開，我就大言不慚為學生提出升學之道，現在舊事重題，再與大家分享我一管之見：

「用今天去創造未來
　定個人生目標
　真學問無捷徑
　盡情讀書間中娛樂
　多講多寫英文好
　外國生活不亢不卑」

鄭永忠博士

海外升學

每一年都有不少家長為子女到海外升學的事頭痛，第一個困擾他們的問題是應否到海外升學，第二個問題是在子女什麼年級的時候送他們到海外升學，第三個問題是，到那個國家升學。

到海外升學是每個家庭自己的事，不能一概而論。我個人的意見是，如果家裡經濟條件許可，而子女也願意到海外升學，還是到海外升學好。到海外升學的理由不外以下幾點：第一，望子成龍，第二，走投無路，第三，早懷大志，第四，受同學影響。

不論是什麼理由，只要家庭環境許可，而又選擇得好，海外升學的確能令子女成材。

至於什麼年級應該送子女出國升學，我再說一次，如果家裡經濟條件許可，中五畢業之後到海外升學應該是比較合適，因為子女無需太早離開父母，得到父母的關愛。第二，讀完中五之後到海外升學，只要稍作準備，一般都容易銜接入外國好的課程。

當然如果你一早便看中，例如美國的Phillips Exeter 這樣的精英中學，英國的Tonbridge，孩子在中一、二年級之後便要到海外升學了。

第三、到那個國家升學最好，這的確是一個困難的問題，的確每個國家都有好的大學，中學。第四、你的子女能進嗎？如果你的子女成績優異，直接申請好的大學或中學。如果子女的成績一時未如理想，澳洲的基礎課程和美國的社區學院，都是非常靈活，銜接順利，都是能夠走出生路的好的踏腳石。

但是如果你的子女已經不能在香港讀下去，不論是他不喜歡學校或是學校不喜歡他，這樣雖然辛苦些，但應該考慮適當地安排子女出國升學。請注意，是考慮。

鄭永忠

靠什麼入哈佛

去紐約旅遊的人，當他們問路如何去大都會歌劇院的時候，往往聽到這樣的回答：「靠你自己努力」。而去波士頓旅遊的人當問路如何去哈佛大學的時候，卻會得到另外一個回答：「靠你自己的天份」。

哈佛大學被公認是全世界第一名的大學，於1636年創辦，是一所私立大學，所以收生完全自主。他一方面向美國中學畢業生招手，但同時亦開放給全世界中學生的精英申請。以去年為例子，哈佛共收到全世界包括美國在內22,276份申請，而只有2,074個同學被錄取。他們SAT的成績大多數都在1400至1580之間，1600是滿分。所以入哈佛大學不單是要有成績，而且還可能真的需要有天份才能夠脫穎而出。

4月1日哈佛大學的亞洲交流團將會到思亞升學中心與香港中學生會面和交流，並且願意公開他們成功申請入哈佛的個人經驗，歡迎所有中學同學上思亞升學的網站 http://www.cjredu.com 登記。大家一起輕鬆隨和自由地與精英中的精英的同學們暢談讀書求學和申請哈佛的經驗。

Educating the Poor

On the last day of January, and the 3rd day of the Chinese New Year, CJR joined a four-day march from Zhu Hai to Guangzhou.

The March was organized by Sowers Action to raise money for schools in remote areas of China where funds are scarce and education is limited. About 280 people walked in tandem, united by the determination to help provide education for needy children.

We walked on average nearly thirty kilometres a day. Much of the walking was done along the highway, in one big group in matching shirts and coats, with a bus behind us to cut off that lane of traffic and for people who were hurt or exhausted to get on.






Along the way, we saw lovely sights, such as local farmers in the fields, picking mouth- watering baby tomatoes and strawberries. They smiled and waved encouragingly. We walked over bridges, past some tributaries of the Pearl River. When we were walking through cities, people still stared, though perhaps with more than a trace of irritation at the traffic disruptions caused by an enormous crowd crossing the street like a herd of human cattle.

Supper times after the day of walking were joyous occasions of camaraderie. We relished our feelings of accomplishment and we sated well-earned appetites. We established bonds of friendship and gave each other hearty words of encouragement.

On the final day, when we finally arrived Guangzhou, it was a great feeling. Guangzhou is a beautiful historic city, and is in much more open and spacious than Hong Kong. There was a big long ceremony to celebrate our arrival, with news media and important people galore.

We at CJR feel very strongly about the importance of education and helping everyone we can to reach their maximal potential. Here in Hong Kong and in my own country, Canada, we are very blessed with many opportunities for education. I encourage everyone to take advantage of all the opportunities available to them, and also to help to create opportunities for those who have few in life. Hong Kong Gai Yao, strike again!

Thomas Leenders
CJR Education Consultant

升學新出路 – 中國

中五會考成績不理想，除了重讀，還可以出國升學。如果經濟條件有限，北上大陸可能是一個選擇，並且成為一種趨勢。

北上的出路，包含升學與實習。最近就有報章報導，一些會考零分的學生，參加職業訓練局的青年內地見習計劃，先修讀基本技術課程，再於內地工廠實習。計劃完畢後，很多同學都表示希望能在內地繼續發展；他們又稱，內地的工作環境不難適應，僱主和同事都很友善，而且學習的機會多。

到內地升學或就業，亦可有以下的優勢：

1.　中國加入世界貿易組織後，經濟環境將逐漸變得開放，發展潛力大增，將會為香港青年人提供不少發展空間。

2.　除了英文外，普通話亦漸漸成為必學語言之一。回國內讀書及就業，正是學習普通話的大好機會。

3.　隨著CEPA 的實施，內地和香港正加緊人才互輸，提早適應國內的社會環境。