I spoke to a mom (C) today who send her 3 kids to the international school system. Her 2 girls started in the Hong Kong public school system and she said it was hell. Her girls didn't have a life and as a mother she didn't have a life neither. The family focus on school, school, school and homework and more homework. The girls didn't have time to play and she became a driver to run from home and school then back home then school again. She helped them with their homework by just filling out the answers for them awhile they sleep.
She plead to me do not take that route. And one of her friend came by and told her similar stories with her 2 boys. I do not want my child to work to death for what? His son got in to Brown University without any insider connections.
Apparently whom you know and what information you know are of privilege. C knows a lot of people in her circle and being close to the teachers and knowing them well is a must because you never know if they will climb up to be the director of the school one day. And even after your children graduate, you still need to keep those ties for the next generation.
C was very upset when I told her that my kiddies were rejected from American International School. I was relieved they were not accepted because of their failure, but because they simply have no room left. But then in a matter of decency they should have told us to put our interview on hold for next year instead. Most of the ESF schools here does that their admission procedure. As for AIS they just want to generate the money. They are a private institution with no government funding nor support because according to C it is a family run school and the family has the land of the school and it is a business venture and stayed as the board of director of the school. In order to get any government subsidies from the Hong Kong government or the United States government the family member has to step down from the board. And of course they do not wish to do that and wants as much control and as much money then can devour from this illusion of a school from the general public. They do not have any special needs program nor gifted program.
So most sane parents do want their kids to have a life and international schools are the route to go. I guess that debunk the Tiger Moms. C's 2 girls also has dyslexia and unless you have great teachers who can see a child and know that she needs special help, those children who doesn't get help are washed under the system. And also the mentally of most parents in Hong Kong are in the deniable zone of their child having problems and we can fixed it later, but later means it is too late by the time help is needed. The crucial moment is when the child is young and his brain malleable to change.
And school is a great business here and especially special needs school. Most international school has integrated programs, but not all of them have funding to keep the program up. C said the Australian International School and ESF has integrated programs for autistic children and speech therapy or occupational therapy and also behavior assessment to ensure success of the child.
I am still in the search of the prefect school for my children since they both have special needs.
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