Education Difference between Hong Kong and China

1. School System

            The Hong Kong system consists of 3 years of pre-school education, 6 years of primary school free education, 6 years of secondary school free education. Hong Kong to implement the "three-three-four" system in secondary school and tertiary education: junior high school three years, high school three years, four years in university.

        Mainland school system includes more than 1 year pre-school education (kindergarten generally run by private sector), 6 years of primary education, 3 years junior high school education, 3 years of high school education. Primary school and junior high school are compulsory education stage, a total of 9 years. Ordinary high school system is also 3 years.

2. Management System

            Hong Kong primary and secondary schools are divided into three main categories: government schools, aided schools, direct subsidized schools, private schools and international schools. Government schools are schools that are organized and managed by the Government. Aided schools are schools run and managed by various volunteer groups such as churches, social bodies, associations with government funds subsidized. Direct subsidized schools, private schools and international schools are set up and managed by private organization or Voluntary groups such as the church, the social body according to the relevant provisions of the organization with their own funding.

            The implementation of primary and secondary education in the Mainland is under the guidance of the government, mainly run by the local goverment organization. The main goal of education is implementing the unified national education policy.

3. Teaching Material

            Hong Kong's textbooks do not have a rule to fix the publisher of textbooks, as long as the publishers have the relevant printing license. The major bookshops will print different types of textbooks according to the guidelines of the Education Bureau. The school itself will prepare a shopping list of textbooks, and the students will purchase the textbooks on their own.

            Hong Kong focus on quality education, theme of textbook is sticking with social life without any political colour. This is total difference with the mainland textbooks which are focusing to ideological education, advocate students love patriotic education concept. At the same time, as English is the second language and one of the official language of Hong Kong, Hong Kong's English textbooks are more difficult than the Mainland ones, but the Chinese textbooks are very simple (the language of secondary school year one is only equivalent to the primary fourth grade). Mathematics is not the difference.

4. Mode of Teaching

            Hong Kong education is student-centered and advocates academic freedom and open education. Classroom is taught in Mandarin, Cantonese and English. English teaching is in a high degree of English learning. Children learn English starting from kindergarten. In language education, practice is more important. The mainland education to focusing to examination, mostly, "teachers teach students to listen to", the content of the way to instill, the theory is strong, the practice is weak.

5. Moral Standard in Hong Kong Education

Although Hong Kong is a capitalist society, fair and transparent is the basic value. Students apply for elite schools need to line up to receive the application form, accessment test and/or interview, rather than in Mainland(so far there are still unspoken rules in China, you may get it done through relationship or even worse, bribe."