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schools in Hong Kong have the added responsibility of teaching Mandarin ; learning any new language requires practice or language immersion . Mandarin , in particular , is a notoriously difficult language to learn . The U . S Department of State ’ s Foreign Service Institute ( FSI ) places Mandarin in the ' most difficult languages to learn ' category , requiring 2,200 class hours . Whereas learning a language like Spanish only requires 600-750 hours . “ Mandarin is tonal and fluency requires mastering thousands of characters ,” the FSI states , implying that a school ’ s instruction hours alone would not suffice in helping a child achieve fluency . The hours needed to learn the language are abundant , while Hong Kong ’ s teens already put in 46.4 hours of study a week , more than most countries .
This is especially alarming given the fact that mental health has been on the decline amongst Hong Kong ’ s youth , which some believe is due to students being overworked . In 2015- 16 , Hong Kong ’ s Hospital Authority provided support to around 28,800 children and adolescents with mental health problems , an increase of more than 50 percent from 2011-12 as stated in the Government ’ s Mental Health Review Report in 2017 . In May , a local NGO , The Hong Kong Playground Association , exposed that over 30 per cent of Hong Kong ’ s youth suffer from either depression , anxiety , or stress . They also found that 70 per cent of our youth suffer from inadequate sleep while 40 per cent don ’ t get enough physical activity .
With the decline in mental health , sleep , and physical activity being evidenced , more fingers are pointed at the potential risks of the academic pressures put on the youth . There are other factors in the waning of mental health , but seeing as stress and lack of sleep are associated with a heavy academic workload , there is an arguement that less homework could prove to be valuable to the overall wellbeing of individuals .
Essentially , the purpose of homework is to provide a link between home and school and to develop students ’ interests and enthusiasms according to Dr Harris Cooper , Duke University professor and a well renowned researcher in the field . But can it become detrimental ? Is it possible to improve on reading , maths , and Mandarin without any homework ? Here are what the proponents and opponents of homework are contending .
Homework and academic success Proponents An analysis conducted by Dr Cooper in 2006 looked at various homework related studies conducted in the United States from 1987 to 2003 and concluded that there is a correlation between doing homework and achieving greater academic success . Jolene Chan , an English teacher at La Salle College , agrees that , “ When students finish their homework , they have more practice and are better able to keep up with their learning progress ,” however adds that , “ it should be meaningful instead of mindless exercises .”
Opponents The same analysis revealed that the increased achievement through homework is seen at the secondary level , whilst having no benefits at the primary level . Also noteworthy is the fact that homework has a point of diminishing returns . After a certain number of hours , homework is no longer beneficial causing a loss of interest in the subject matter or over-exhaustion . Vice-principal of primary and well-being at Renaissance College , Stephanie Howdle-Lang expounds on their homework policy , “ We wanted to make sure that we weren ’ t increasing the level of stress on the younger students whilst still giving them opportunities to engage . We don ’ t want to spend [ time ] from year 1 preparing them for the IB . We want it to be a growth process .”
Conclusion : Homework is beneficial to learning success in secondary school . However , a school ’ s homework policy should not take on a “ one size fits all ” approach . What works well for one age group , or even one family , is not necessarily advantageous for another . Therefore , schools should consider children ’ s ages and their ongoing extracurricular activities when assigning homework .
Looking to countries who succeed Proponents Currently , Singapore and Hong Kong hold top spots in the education ranks according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development . The OECD tests 15 year olds globally on their abilities in reading , maths , and science every three years through their Programme for International Student Assessment ( PISA ). Their latest 2015 rank placed Singapore in the top spot in all three subjects , while Hong Kong placed second in maths and reading and ninth in science . Schools in Singapore and Hong Kong generally operate under systems that emphasise rote-learning , more homework , and standardised testing . These practices have proven to demonstrate academic success .
Opponents
Others look to the example of students in Finland who , in the year 2000 , outperformed their global peers in all three subjects of PISA , whilst having the fewest hours of instruction and homework . Kids are also enrolled into school around the age of seven , which is later than most countries .
Conclusion Both methods can bring about strong results in achievement . The valueadded from heavy loads of homework , however , may not be enough to justify its purpose . “ Hong Kong holds a
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