Troubled England has much to learn from HK's curriculum reforms

There seems to be two ways of reforming the education system. The first is to listen to the views of those who have an interest in what goes on in schools: parents, students, employers and, of course, education professionals.

The second is for governments to draw ideological battle lines and force changes based on one highly politicised view of what education should be, while condemning all that came before it and those who disagree.

Hong Kong has won praise from education gurus worldwide, and organisations such as the OECD, for having adopted the first approach.

This requires answering basic questions about the aims of education, which must be relevant to the times, and how schools should respond once those goals are agreed upon.

After that, the steady process of planning and implementation can begin. This has been happening in Hong Kong since the Education Commission completed its review of the system 13 years ago.

Change is not easy. Professional and personal differences will inevitably arise, and there will be twists and turns in the reform journey as obstacles become apparent. But by listening to different views, they can be resolved.

As Hong Kong progresses through a second decade of carefully phased, system-wide reforms, we look on incredulously at the war now raging in England.