Letters | New Legco must do a better job of reaching out to Hong Kong’s youth

Readers suggest improvements to Legco’s School Visit Programme, discuss belated official action on the wild boar problem, ask the government to persevere in reining in housing developers and examine Thailand’s ‘test and go’ policy

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A Legco election banner at Fung Mat Road Waterfront Open Space, Western District, on December 7. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 6:30am, 18 Dec 2021

With the Legislative Council election to be held tomorrow, we hope the newly elected legislature can improve Legco’s School Visit Programme to better engage the city’s youth.

Government funding support for corporate liaison, education and visitor services increased from HK$40.7 million in the 2017 financial year ended March 31, to HK$47.2 million in the 2019 financial year. But over those two years, student participation fell from around 33,700 to an estimated 32,620. Among those who took part in guided school tours of the Legco complex, 57 to 60 per cent were primary school pupils, 35 to 37 per cent were from secondary schools and 4 to 6 per cent were from tertiary institutions.

To attract more visitors from universities, the Legislative Council should enhance its educational activities and resources for college students. Currently, its programme offers storytelling and interactive learning activities for visiting kindergarten children, while primary school pupils can role-play in the passage of a mock bill and debate a mock motion. Role play is also offered to visitors from secondary schools and universities in a mock Question Time.

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Hong Kong Legco election candidates up close: Gary Wong and Joseph Chan

These enhance understanding of how Legco operates, but more sophisticated activities are needed if Hong Kong’s legislative branch is to actively engage with those in university. Legco should offer its college-age visitors opportunities to apply their disciplinary knowledge and skills to the city’s practical problems.

Legco’s Research Office could also sponsor research projects initiated by undergraduates that may inform public policy decisions while educating them effectively and creatively.

Huanrui Chen and Jinyuan Huang, Kowloon Tong

Why did AFCD let wild boar problem grow?

I refer to “Why the culling of wild boars is a necessary public safety measure” (December 14), a letter from an Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department representative in response to other letter correspondents who disagree with the department’s sudden and heavy-handed tactics.