The International Baccalaureate and the Diploma of Secondary Education have just released test scores, shifting attention to broader issues regarding these standardized assessments within Hong Kong's education system. These results are milestones for students at various junctures of their academic journey, but unmistakably show that more emphasis is needed on education beyond test performance.
This past weekend saw the release of the long-awaited IB scores, and in equal parts, students responded with relief and boded breath. It's a big moment for pupils. Certainly, for those still waiting for the results from the DSE on July 17, it may be too overwhelming, often seeming to define moments in their academic and working life.
There is, however, a growing realization in Hong Kong that educational outcomes should not be strictly based on results in standardized tests. High test scores have been the result of a very competitive mentality inculcated within the student; to them, success means these numerical achievements. This is a prevalent conception of higher learning but does not totally define it because it should encapsulate critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth.
This is even extended to rhetoric, evidenced by how the Chinese proverb 'learning is not about scoring points' differs from its English translation, "learning is more than scoring". That says something more than the nuance of language, which hints at deeper attitudes in society toward education, including pressures to excel in tests that overshadow broader goals of fostering well-rounded people equipped for lifelong learning.
Although no one would be willing to quarrel with the idea that standardized tests can contribute to the assurance that students achieve at least a standard minimum degree of academic excellence, and that curricula are based upon such standardization, surprisingly, they increase socioeconomic disequilibrium. Affluent families sink their money into so-called test preparation courses, a way in which wealthier parents can advantage their offspring by more than simple academic aptitude.
This is further contrasted with IB to point out that pedagogies ought to be very different. Here, there is the IB, focusing on holistic assessment where coursework accounts for part of the assessment in relation to the heavily content-based approach taken by DSE, which relies so much on rote learning skills. That certainly begs the question of how academic rigor can truly be balanced with the cultivation of critical thinking skills necessary for success later down the road.
The critics rightfully argue that it is high time that Hong Kong's education system be reoriented from a content-based assessment, like DSE, to approaches focusing on analytical skills and comprehensive learning outcomes. It would help students be better prepared to face the complexities abreast in a globalizing world and reduce undue stress associated with high-stakes testing.
Other recent scandals, such as that of IB cheating, drive home the message of just how test-outcome-oriented an education system can be flawed. Cheating reflects extremes of pressure that lead some students to engage in actions that compromise their integrity in order to succeed academically.
As the key stakeholders reappraise Hong Kong's education priorities, consensus is reached on three key areas: resilience, creativity, and adaptability that should be inculcated into the mindset of students. More than the marks scored by a student in an examination, these are believed to become crucial for sailing through the complexities that lie ahead in the future, wherein problem-solving and innovative thinking come at the very core.
One would tell graduating students, therefore, although test scores matter for their constitutive value in being milestones, it doesn't prove or disprove one's personal worth and/or potential for life. True success resides within one's capacity for moving on from failures to readjust and adapt to change, and for continued learning beyond the faulty constraints of standardized assessments.
Looking ahead to Hong Kong's educational landscape, it currently is standing at a crossroads and setting off to underline embracing reforms in holistic development and equity of access to quality education. A learning environment significant to innovation and critical thinking will surely be able to develop relevant capacities in future generations that could thrive amidst fast change in the global economy.
