World News for Students of English

26-05-2015 15:00

Getting into a good school can be stressful for both children and parents. It’s seen as so important in Hong Kong that children like Carlson Chuen here are training for their interview, despite only being 2.5 years old. Parents believe that getting a place in a good kindergarten will help them secure a spot in a good primary and secondary school and pave the way for a good start in life.

With the competition being so fierce, that kindergartens can be selective about who they let in. Half a year before kindergartens start assessing their young applicants, Hong Kong’s pre-kindergarten interview courses are busy preparing toddlers to ace the first interview of their lives.

“It’s quite expensive to raise a child in Hong Kong now. The pressure is immense. Everyone is competing against each other. I feel a lot of pressure.”

“The biggest value of this course is to take away the children’s fear – at least they won’t get scared. They won’t think going to an interview is like getting a death penalty. Instead of getting spooked, they will think it as a happy experience. It is like playing games. Some people may think they can do the same at home, but we have a professionally designed course. The course teaches you what you need to do in the exam.”

Difficult words: secure (to know something is certain), pave the way for (to prepare), fierce (great), assess (to say how good something is), toddler (a young child who is just beginning to walk), ace (to do very well), immense (great), spook (to scare).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com