According to this article 13, there are so many reasons to support that primary education should be compulsory and free to all and I will list them out in the following.
Firstly, this article is talking about education is both a human right and a crucial means of conceiving other human rights. As an authorized right, education is one of the primary key and beginning of humans where adult and children can acknowledge more about economically and socially, besides that they can make correct stands for their decisions and obtain their presence fully in the society. Which means that education can improve their ability to think wider and broaden their horizon through it. Moreover, they can at least have a say in the society in with their own understanding upon what is right and what is wrong.
Secondly, education also has a mandatory role in reinforcing women, preserving students from being trapped into any sexual and labor activities, encouraging them to promote human rights and democracy, protecting nature and controlling the population growth. What I mean to say is that in recent years there have been so many news saying that innocent people have been trapped into scam phone calls and work jobs. And to be alert from these through education, from different lessons material they can be more aware of actual reality. For example, a news article was introduced in class and told the consequences about the news, hence, that can have an impact on students and they can reflect while they are stepping in the society.
Thirdly, the other reason of importance of education is that it is not just practical like if you finished your studies and you will get job that is it. In fact, education can be positive, clear-sighted and can sharpen our mindsets. For example, while we are being educated we can think of so many other ways to be successful in life. Getting a job is so common, but there are some people who would have an ambition to make their life easier to live a life like they wanted to. (e.g. entrepreneurs). They are able to walk broadly and without any restrictions, and that is one of the happiness and recompense of human reality.
Furthermore, the importance for education for human right protections there are 4 main points to have further explanation, which are Convenient, Reachable, Justifiable and Flexible.
Convenient, because schools and all institutions should be operated sufficiently and under a safe and secure environment. And to operate sufficiently there are plentiful prerequisites to keep in mind; for example, the teaching notes and data, and well-trained teachers or professors. On the other hand, there would also need some school facilities, like computer rooms, library and sanitation facility. Where students would feel safe to be around the school or institutions.
Reachable, education schools and institutions have to be attainable to everyone, without any kind of discrimination. Reachable also means that it should be economically attainable, as there are low, middle- and high-income families in Hong Kong. Some families can afford and some can’t and to be fair enough the education fee should be affordable to all but not just those who can afford.
Justifiable, in all schools and institutions the form and substance of education, which include the teaching methods have to be appropriate and acceptable to all the students. For example, it should be culturally adequate, there should not be anything like culturally discrimination through education.
Flexible, education has to be nimble so it can be adapted to the needs of changing societies and respond to the students needs. Some students would be from other countries like the new immigrants, they need a good and safe environment where they can adapt into the local society as fast as they can as it would be their beginning here. Therefore, it should be flexible and more welcoming to the non-local students.
By concerning these 4 aspects, education for human right protection plays an important role because if there isn’t anything like that in education system students won’t get along with each other and would create more and more conflicts. They will know their worth if they can learn something through the education and be more conscious about their next step.
To a great extend the Hong Kong SAR Government has fulfilled its obligations of Article 13 “Free Education”, there is 9 years of free education in Hong Kong; 6years in primary and 3 years in secondary from F.1 to F.3. yet there are some more good changes reflected from back in a few years to now.
Firstly, according to the Hong Kong University portal, it is stated that there were so many unequal treatments towards the ethnic students in Hong Kong education system reported by the press. And now it is salient due to the changing demographics in Hong Kong and its new educational policies. In the meantime, by providing equal opportunities issues from legal and policy perspectives and makes specific suggestions to ensure the effectiveness of a future Racial Discrimination ordinance.
Secondly, in Primary School there used to be an assessment (TSA), where students were required to have assessment on three subjects which are Chinese Language, English Language and Mathematics to see student’s performance on academic level. That also help teachers have better preparation for students according to their results of TSA examination. As TSA exam was so demanding to the students, it was hard for students to give their best in examination, due to that it’s so demanding and hard; the education bureau decided to replace the examination to Basic Competency Assessment (BCA) the easier, shorter and simple examination for P.3 and P.6 students. And since then TSA examinations was changed to BCA examination.
Thirdly, in 1979 there used be an examination for secondary school senior students which was Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE). It was the hardest examination for the senior students which’s results were highly required for entering universities in Hong Kong. But again, later then in 2012 this examination was merged and formed the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) for the senior students. Yet it was again a hardest exam yet comparatively easier than the HKALE. Now HKDSE is the main examination for students to get a seat in university.
In my own views, right to education is one of the most important factors in Hong Kong, as it provides free education to everyone. Through education we learn so many things like, how things work in society, what could be done, and when they can act on certain things. For example, the umbrella revolution, it was students who started the event, they planed everything, and they were the one who were fighting for their rights in Hong Kong. Motivate people to have correct stands and know their worth in society. Also, the institutions should accept all background students, there shouldn’t be any discrimination towards different background students. Everyone should be equal under same human right. There are so many students who are already working in Hong Kong government jobs and I hope government would fully support students to have a good job.
For better implement of right to education, first of all, I think government should also provide free education to kindergartens, because that is also a kind of school for a new generation. They should not be excluded from under the right to education for all students, those new generation is the upcoming students. As the article says primary education should be compulsory and free to all and I believe that kindergarten is also compulsory for the next generation.
Secondly, as there are already so many non-Chinese students and people working in different department. Due to that the government can help more the non-local students like provide more opportunities represent their selves in the community, let the younger once get inspired from them.
Lastly, academics wise it is getting better and better day by day and it is good and fair for all the students studying in Hong Kong yet hoping that Hong Kong Government would make more changes to have a better future for students in the coming years.