Page 21 - 樂善堂梁銶琚學校（校刊2019）

Taimon Koulu Primary School Primary

Education

healthy and comfortable with their school environment. The school clearly cares for students’

mental health by offering a relaxing, care-free timetable and curriculum.

After this visit, we were able to reflect on Hong Kong’s education system from a different

perspective. First, from the management level: in order to maintain a higher level of student
mental health, the curriculum and school timetables must include more time for breaks and free
sessions. This approach has proved highly successful in improving the psychological health of
Finnish students. Giving Hong Kong students more autonomy to decide their pace and content of
learning can reduce stress levels. Students can learn to find innovative and insightful ways to solve

their learning problems.

Second, most Finnish teachers believe in their professionalism and are confident that they

can manage the curriculum and teach it to students. Most Hong Kong teachers, on the other hand,
tend to rely on textbooks. They seldom put any emphasis on developing their understanding of
curriculum guidelines or their professional knowledge of designing related learning and teaching
materials for students with different learning needs. Hong Kong schools should therefore provide
more training and resources, to increase teachers’ confidence and stimulate their growth,

upgrading teaching quality in the long term.

From the level of primary, foundational education, Finland has been raising its children to

be positive, confident, self-assured individuals. Finland is seen by the international community
as the pioneer of a new era of education in upgrading its educational system and providing more
enhanced, supportive learning opportunities for its students. There are many lessons for Hong
Kong to learn from this loving, encouraging nation of active, dedicated learners.

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