Education Post Kindergartens Festival 2017 (Kowloon): Paving the way for success starts at a young age

More than 2,000 parents, many accompanied by their children, discovered a wide range of early-learning options at a one-stop Kindergartens Festival organised and hosted by Education Post, with co-organiser, the education consultancy Top Schools Hong Kong, and HSBC as main sponsor. The festival took place on May 27 at the Cordis Hotel in Mong Kok.

A breakfast seminar was held for educators and school leaders to network and share their views.

Principals, school representatives and education advisors from more than 50 international and local kindergartens and early-learning schools were on hand to provide advice and information; they answered inquiries from parents about teaching philosophies, language education, and opportunities for future education for their children. In addition, parents gained specific insights from leading education professionals during a series of information sessions and panel discussions covering a diverse range of education topics.

A breakfast seminar was held for educators and school leaders to network and share their views.

For the parents of eight-month-old Yui, the Kindergartens Festival provided an opportunity to compare the different types of early-learning options available for their daughter, and also allayed concerns they had left it too late to find a suitable preschool for her. "We had been told by some people that waiting until our daughter was eight months old, we had left it too late to arrange her preschool learning," said Yoonie Kyung, Yui's mother. "Happily, after talking to really helpful teachers and principals, we were reassured that we don't have to worry about making an immediate decision," said Kyung. She, a Korean national, and her Japanese husband said they are keen to enrol Yui in a school that offers a combination of Chinese and English-language learning opportunities.

Ko Hon Lam, father of seven-month-old Kayla, said he and his wife had attended the festival to compare schools that use English as the medium of instruction. "As Chinese parents, we are not too worried about our daughter learning Chinese, so we wanted to find out about the different types of international schools and the best way that Kayla can achieve a good standard of English," said Ko.

The value of play-based learning is increasingly recognised by researchers for the benefits it provides in areas such as intellectual thinking and cultivating curious individuals. Vicky Bewsey, principal of the English Schools Foundation (ESF) International Kindergarten at Tsing Yi, said play is an essential learning tool for young children. "In our kindergarten, the children play in the garden, they play with water, they get dirty and they have fun while they are exploring," Bewsey told parents during an information session.

According to Jillian McCormack from Wellborn Anglo-Chinese Kindergarten, part of the Deborah Education Institute, which operates 22 kindergartens and international preschools in Hong Kong, a lot of parents asked questions about curricula that include English and Chinese-language learning. "Parents were interested in how our international-based curriculum combines English and Chinese, which meets the expectations of many Hong Kong parents," McCormack said. "Parents appreciate the idea their children are ready to go on to either a local or international primary school when they leave us," she said, explaining that flexibility means parents are able to decide which education route best suits their children.