I have heard many horrible stories from parents who are local hong kongers with children who went to international kindergarten and starts primary school in the local school system and from expats who send their children to local school systems since kindergarten.
I also have a friend's daughter, age 8 having OCD because of the demands in local primary school system that she needs to take medication to calm down. And to save the child's sanity changed school and now a much happier child.
The teachers who are taught in the same local system will somehow aggravate the same "abuse" for the lack of a better term towards their students. Students are afraid to take a sip of water because raising hands to go to the bathroom will be an automatic "No" given. How can anyone one think without water? Brain cells need water to function and denying water and bathroom time that is the basic needs is just crazy. No wonder for the people I spoke with who are local Hong Kongers, I have asked them why they do not drink water considering the stress in such urban concrete jungle. Most of them replied that they do not like to go to the bathroom and it is a waste of time.
Second is the amount of movements, children learn through movements and 10 minute recess time is not enough to even create a social interaction among children to learn on their own and to play and to have an imagination.
I feel sadden when I hear another teenager just committed suicide by jumping off another building. Not enough water for one. Second no childhood and when they get to teenage suffering from depression and cannot voice out because they are too afraid... Living in a brain stem mode or survival mode for 13 - 19 years.
Very sad =( ... I hope some light will shine through ... what end justifies the means?