Experts’ Opinion | Well-being in Hong Kong

Feb 01

0

When will Hong Kong realise that its exam-focused culture is failing our children?

Paul Yip

Paul Yip says the problems with the Territory-wide System Assessment are just one small part of a bigger problem: the local education system’s misguided mentality that learning is best through rigorous testing and packed curriculums

There is a strong desire to scrap the Territory-wide System Assessment (TSA) for Primary Three children (aged 9), with critics of the exam claiming that the extensive drills and practice are counterproductive in nurturing young minds. The government seems to accept the recommendation from a working group that 90 per cent of primary school pupils could be exempted from taking it this year.

Jan 15

0

香港人口發展反思

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

張筱蘭 | 葉兆輝

在過去300多年裏，世界人口增加超過10倍，由1700年不足7億人至今天已達70億人。世界人口急劇增加，緣於十八世紀後期人口死亡率逐漸下降與生育率上升。

馬爾薩斯（Malthus）的第一版《人口原理》（1798）正正是這個時期推出，人口問題亦是當時社會討論的焦點之一。根據他的人口理論，控制人口增長有兩種基本抑制：預防性抑制與現實性抑制。前者在現代西方國家透過限制婚姻以控制生育和人口增長；後者則在非現代西方國家因人口無節制地增長以致貧窮和死亡率上升。要利用預防性抑制來控制人口增長，教育、家庭計劃和避孕技術絕對扮演了重要角色。

現代社會的大部分家庭均有意識地計算生育孩子的成本和效益，評估客觀因素如社會環境、居住地是否有足夠影響力的友善家庭政策，從而決定是否（或推遲）結婚和生育，這些因素同樣直接影響香港的人口發展。

Jan 14

0

葉兆輝：施政報告 —「智慧城市」需全面發展

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

葉兆輝

最新的施政報告將「創新及科技」擺作重頭戲，提出建設「智慧城市」。香港信息科技的基礎設施發達，互聯網覆蓋率近80%，手機更是平均每人有兩部，具備發展「智慧城市」的硬件基礎。香港人生活節奏快，追求高效，喜歡新產品，對「智慧城市」有需求。而「智慧城市」的發展有助於減少人力成本，對於人口不斷老化的香港來講，有利於維持社會的持續高效運作。因此建設「智慧城市」是適應時勢的選擇。

Hong Kong’s outdated approach to injury management is not working

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

Paul Yip & Nancy Chau

The city has a compensation-focused approach to workplace injuries, and employees would be better served by rehabilitation and a timely return to work

Each year in Hong Kong, there are about 55,000 cases of workplace accidents or work-related diseases, resulting in some 200 deaths. In a working population of about 3.9 million, this means a fatality rate of 5.2 deaths per 10,000 workers, which is higher than that observed in Singapore (2.1) or Australia (1.7).

Dec 23

0

以受傷工人為本清除重返工作的障礙

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

郭志良 | 葉兆輝

工作意外和職業病每年導致本港近200 宗致命及5.5 萬宗受傷個案。近數十年來，在有效處理工傷並防止傷患惡化為長期傷殘的問題上，以早期綜合治療為中心的工傷康復理念在國際間被譽為最有效方案，可是這種方案在香港卻一直未能普及。我們剛剛完成了一研究項目——從社會角度看香港僱員補償保險體制，從而了解工傷康復理念在香港發展緩慢的原因，及工人在康復過程中遇到的障礙。

A child of divorced parents should not have to choose between them

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

Paul Yip & Melissa Chan

Paul Yip and Melissa Chan say the ‘parental responsibility model’ that the Hong Kong government proposes should guide our would reduce stress on the affected children

The government recently launched a pubic consultation on how to amend our legislation on child custody and access, in response to the rising number of divorces in Hong Kong. Data shows that the total number of divorce decrees granted in 2013 (22,271 cases) was more than 10 times the number in 1981 (2,060 cases) in Hong Kong, and so more children are affected. The government should be commended for taking this step.

Dec 11

0

探討香港貧窮問題系列（五）釋放勞動力改善基層勞工報酬

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

葉兆輝 | 張一 | 黃浩傑 | 程綺瑾

近日政府落實「低收入在職家庭津貼計劃」（下稱低津）推出時間表。預計將有20萬戶、70萬人受惠，令整體貧窮率降低兩個百分點。

該計劃的主要對象是在職貧窮而有兒童的家庭，目的是鼓勵自力更生，紓緩跨代貧窮。低津的推出反映出政府改善貧窮狀况的決心，對於有需求的家庭是一個及時的幫助。然而長遠來看，相信低津對於扶貧難以有大的成效。如何釋放潛在勞動力以及改善基層勞工報酬是決定扶貧工作成敗的核心因素。 Read More

Dec 05

0

探討香港貧窮問題系列（四）諾貝爾經濟學獎對本港扶貧工作的啟示

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

葉兆輝 | 程綺瑾 | 張一

在政府的扶貧高峰會召開後兩天，今年的諾貝爾經濟學獎頒給了普林斯頓大學的迪頓教授（Angus Deaton），特別表彰他對消費、貧窮、福利的研究。兩者的時間是巧合，但也反映對縮減貧富差距的關注不僅是本港，也是全球公共政策研究的重點。

Nov 30

0

Understand the full range of Muslim viewpoints – beyond the shrill headlines and biased social media

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

Stephen Tsang & Paul Yip

Stephen Tsang and Paul Yip warn against succumbing to the easy answers informed by a simplistic understanding of Muslim thinking, in the wake of deadly terrorist violence

In the wake of the Paris atrocities and the imminent threat of more attacks, we are surrounded by a growing number of talking heads and cleverly worded posts and hashtags on social media telling us what to do and how to think: “Pray for Paris”, “Don’t pray for Paris”, “Islam is for peace”, “Islam is sharia”, “Islam is IS”. In such an environment, we find ourselves wanting to do something. However, it is important to make an informed choice. Having a too simplistic view of such a complicated conflict is inane. We need an educated viewpoint; we need to see past all the emotion-laden pictures.

Nov 13

0

探討香港貧窮問題系列（三）香港扶貧工作：對焦和有效的干預

By admin | Paul's Channel | No Comments

葉兆輝 | 陳夢妮

為更準確、全面了解香港的貧窮情况，在前兩篇文章我們先後拆解了2009 至2014 年間本港貧窮率（rate）、貧窮人數（size）的變化和貧窮差距（poverty gap）的變化。借此二文，我們意在強調對於本港貧窮狀况的度量，需同時考察貧窮的闊度（即貧窮率及貧窮人數）和深度（即貧窮差距）。本文聚焦扶貧政策，從闊度和深度兩個角度考察政府政策介入的效果。