Blowing Water | American university admissions scandal should make Hong Kong parents rethink our unhealthy obsession with education
- Stressed out parents and students should not overlook the virtues of a less academic path to success
Most parents want a better life for their children, and a good education at the best schools is often seen as the way to secure it. Some are willing to shell out vast sums of money to make sure their offspring go to the world’s top educational institutions.
The phenomenon has been in the spotlight recently after almost 50 people, including Hollywood actresses, were charged over an alleged US$25 million scam to help wealthy Americans get their children into elite universities.
Education systems the world over unashamedly favour the rich. The wealthiest can increase their chances of admission by making huge donations to help build school facilities. Such generosity is common practice and generally seen as an endowment rather than bribery.
It all comes down to how much you can afford or are willing to spend, either through legitimate or illegitimate channels – a fact Hong Kong parents are all too familiar with.
A survey in 2017 by HSBC found Hongkongers were the world’s biggest spenders on education, paying an average of nearly HK$1 million (US$127,400) per child between the primary and undergraduate levels. The study covered 8,481 parents in 15 cities and countries and took into account tuition fees, books, transport, accommodation and related activities. The figure was almost three times the global average of HK$350,000, surpassing the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, which was second at HK$780,000.
