1 Corinthians 13: 1 & 13

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

30 January 2012

Sex education should be a compulsory part of the secondary curriculum (6B Alex Luk)

Sex education imperative in secondary curriculum

'14-year-old girl being pregnant.’ ‘No sex education in secondary schools.’ In recent years, newspapers have been flooded with headlines as such. Not many years ago, the Hong Kong government also considers imposing sex education in the secondary school as a compulsory part. However, this can be a mixed blessing. Some are in favour of this notion because many teenagers nowadays seem to lack appropriate knowledge about sex. Despite this, in view of complex and hectic curriculum, whether sex education is made compulsory remains a big doubt. Both sides of the arguments are supported with sound reasons. It is worthwhile for us to examine why there is such a conflict and the following essay evaluates the pros and cons of it.

Imposing sex education compulsorily wastes time. It goes without saying that the new senior secondary curriculum is harsh due to the complicated, complex and bulky and content. More often than not, almost all teachers have to sacrifice their spare time to time students so as to tackle the public exam. Recent reports have stated, to many people’s surprise, that as many as 81 percent of secondary six students were extremely worried about their public exam on the grounds that not many of them have finished the whole curriculum. Therefore, they simply don’t have more time to be subjected to sex education.

Another argument against the imposition of sex education compulsorily is that it is useless to be done. I would like to raise a question. ‘Did our parents and teachers have lessons about sex education in their secondary schools?’ The answer is simply no. Consequently, the proposal seems to fail as human can learn sex education by themselves while growing up. Why can’t this new generation learn this by themselves?

However, whether imposing sex education compulsorily is a double-edged sword.

Nowadays, inappropriate information is more easily to teenagers owing to the advancement in technology. As we all know, teenagers are eager to explore themselves more in this stage. In addition, thanks to the rapid development in internet, most of us can easily get access to more information about sex. If they had received some pornographic photos or watches some uncensored videos, they development might have been adversely affected. Nevertheless, if they had received sex education in schools, they would have developed a sense that those messages are exactly wrong and then skipped those information.

Moreover, sex education not only includes physical aspect, but also includes mental and social aspect. As for the mental and social part, teens would learn how to get along with the others, especially with the opposite sex. What’s more, it also includes how to form a blissful family and play their roles. All these kinds of knowledge couldn’t be found in any subjects now. That’s why some suggest that sex education is imperative.

Judging from the arguments presented above, on balance, I am of the opinion that the advantages of imposing sex education compulsorily in secondary curriculum may offset some of the disadvantages. To put another way, students’ physical and mental developments are pivotal even reducing more time on studies. The government should not just look on with folded arms, instead, should give out more funds to schools to carry out sex education. There is an urgent need for the government to implement this in response to the growing youth problem arising from lack of sex-related knowledge.

19 January 2012

Compensated Dating (6C Ng Kwok Ho)

Summary:

Compensated dating originated in Japan. It refers to the phenomenon that young girls accept money from men in exchange for their companionship. They seek patrons in forums by leaving personal information and some content of the dating. At least several hundred dollars can be earned in each dating. Therefore, it is a way to have extra income, but the risks are as much abundant. Since those girls face the strangers alone, those men may rob or kill the girls.

Comments:

For me, compensated dating must be banned as soon as possible. It is sad that those teenage girls say there are advantages behind compensated dating so they are engaged in the activity. Undoubtedly, disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

Ah Yan, one of the girls who was once engaged in compensated dating that she had to face a high risk because she might not be able to deal with a perverted customer and may be ill-treated or even killed as a result.

On the other hand, since sexual intercourse may be involved, girls may contract venereal disease. I believe it is really bad to be involved in compensated dating, girls should not take the risk to go on compensated dating.

To tackle this social problem, what parents should do is to pay more attention to the needs of their children’s financial status. They should find out the reasons why their children suddenly become rich. Our government may also monitor the chat rooms and forum in the Internet since most compensated girl seek their clients there.

However, the most effective solution is to help the girls think positively about themselves. They should reflect on the values of money. Besides, they have to find the correct way to face their loneliness. For example, they may chat with social workers or try more ways to make some friends in sports and music activities.

16 January 2012

My Diary (6D Chiu Pui Fan)

Today when you went to the washroom at recess, you saw a group of Secondary 3 students smoking in the toilet. Write an entry in your diary describing what you saw, what you did and how you felt about the incident.


Dear diary

What will you do if you see a teenager smoking? Today, when I went to the washroom at recess, I saw a group of secondary 3 students smoking in the toilet.

At the first recess, Chris and I went to the toilet together. When we walked into it, I could smell and feel cigarette smoke all over the femal toilet. “Bang!” The door of a toilet stall was kicked and we were frightened by this big sound! Although we didn’t press our faces against the door of that toilet stall, we also could hear the girls, who were inside the toilet stall, called each other bad names and used foul language! We ignored them, it was because we were really scared! After a few minutes, when I wanted to go outside, the group of secondary 3 students came out from the toilet stall. I looked back to the girls. I saw one of them threw her cigarette on the floor, after, she got a new one out of the pack and lighted it up. I felt really angry! I told Chris, “Don’t let them go.” And I went to staff room to find. Mrs. Wong. Of course, Mrs. Wong caught them.

Honestly, I felt scared in this incident. However, I was more angry than afraid!

Although they weren’t taking drugs, smoking is harmful to health, it is a hard fact. Maybe, this group of girls thought “Smoking is my business!”, but we know, ciagrette smoking can affect the environment, such as the growth of plants and cause the global warming. Moreover, I think they should respect the feelings of others, secondhand smoke can harm non-smokers – other students. I think they learnt a lot of common sense in the biology lessons, inhaling secondhand smoke is more harmful than inhaling first-hand smoke! And smoking will bring the risk of lung cancer, gum disease, or effects women’s reproductive health.

By the way, I think the tennagers will not smoke cigarettes suddenly. Maybe, they were initating their parents or their favorite idols. Maybe, their friends encouraged them to smoke. Maybe, the teenagers had too much pressure. I think the parents and teachers play a central role in combating underage smoking. They should pay attention to students’ emotion, and help the teenagers to solve the problems or presssure. Futhermore, the celebrities are the public figures, I think they shouldn’t smoke and be a role model for young people.