Early learning | HK education lawmaker inspired by local policy

Macau’s implementation of a ban on writing lessons for students during their first year of pre-school last month has prompted debate in Hong Kong over the way in which writing is taught to children, inspiring  a conversation about whether the policy should be extended to the other SAR.
As of last month, a guideline issued by the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau of Macau decreed that “the first year of infant education shall not include the teaching of writing” and that “teachers shall never force K1 students to write.” The policy was enacted as part of a reform to promote balanced development in young pupils.
Hong Kong education lawmaker, Ip Kin-yuen, welcomed the move and has since called on parents and teachers in Hong Kong to reflect on how writing is taught to children in the city.
“Macau is very different from Hong Kong,” Ip commented yesterday in a report which was published by the South China Morning Post. “There is an emphasis on pushing kids to learn how to write early in Hong Kong pre-schools. It’s not good for the long-term growth of children.”
Ip said that any new regulations in Hong Kong would require parents to reconsider their expectations for their children. “Kindergartens in Hong Kong are all privately-run and their curriculum is influenced by parents’ demands.”
The reasoning behind Macau’s decision to ban writing lessons for first year pre-school students is twofold. First, the muscles of young children have not yet fully developed. In addition, learning abstract symbols is not conducive to their early development. However, if a child shows great interest in writing, teachers are permitted to “provide them with pens and drawing paper.”