Why some Hong Kong parents are choosing to teach their children at home
Every Tuesday, 11-year-old Sam Li rolls up her sleeves for a pottery class. On Wednesday, she sews. Next, she hopes to learn about weaving and the history of the Roman Empire.
Sam's schedule is unusual for a primary school student in Hong Kong. She has no homework and does not attend classes on Fridays.
Since August, she has been completing her Primary Six education through home-schooling. She is taught by her 46-year-old father, George Li, an English teacher with 18 years of experience at a local secondary school. He tutors her in Chinese, English and maths, adjusting lessons to her needs.
Sam said she could feel a difference in how she learns compared to when she was in a traditional school. 'It was hard to keep up [at school], so I'd stop trying and ended up doodling,' she said.
George and Connie*, Sam's 44-year-old mother, are part of a small group of Hong Kong parents choosing to homeschool their children. The Li family wants to prioritise family bonding and mental health.
Challenges of learning at home
Home-schooling is allowed in Hong Kong, but it is not common. The city has about 120 families who home school, according to Vivien Lai Mei-kei, a researcher who specialises in home schooling in Hong Kong and mainland China.
The Education Bureau has no rules for what is taught.
For the Li family, schooling is no longer only about preparing their children for top universities. Instead, they are also prioritising family bonding and mental health. Photo: Kelly Fung
Lai said not attending school means students have fewer opportunities to interact with their peers. But she hoped that society would view home-schooling as an option.
The Li family was first inspired to teach their children at home during the pandemic when in-person classes were paused. They spent three months home-schooling Sam's brother.
Then, when Sam was in Primary Five, she was miserable because of academic stress and difficult relationships. 'She was overwhelmed. That's when I knew we had to make a change,' Connie shared.
After four months of home-schooling, Sam's mother noticed how her daughter had found peace.
Family over academics
With personalised instruction, Sam shared that she gained confidence in her weaker subjects and felt more motivated to pursue her interests. Her dream is to be a fashion designer.
When Sam's gap year finishes, she hopes to apply to a Direct Subsidy Scheme (DSS) secondary school. But it is uncertain whether she will be admitted as most schools require exam scores to evaluate applicants.
This family's emphasis on emotional well-being comes at a time when happiness in Hong Kong is low, according to several annual surveys.
For Connie, home-schooling has strengthened the family's bond. 'Our relationship was strained before – everything was out of balance because we were always rushing,' she said.
'Now, I can focus on connecting with them … academics become secondary.'
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