Dear Parents,
January has come and gone in the blink of an eye! We hope 2026 is off to a great start for you and your family.
Here at SCMP Learn, we began the year on a high note, celebrating the conclusion of STANCE, our inaugural youth storytelling competition, with an inspiring live finale showcase — more on that below! Watching young storytellers take the stage with confidence and creativity was a reminder of the many ways children can shine when given the chance to explore and express themselves. Echoing that energy, this month’s newsletter highlights exciting opportunities for young speechmakers, musicians and entrepreneurs to showcase their talents.
As always, we’re also sharing the key stories in education and parenting that caught our eye this month. Plus, still not sure how to occupy the kids during the upcoming holidays? We’ve got you covered with our Chinese New Year Holiday Programme, where little ones have the chance to become a news anchor and present on camera in the SCMP studio!
Two Hong Kong pupils take home the top prizes at SCMP Learn’s inaugural global youth storytelling competition, STANCE. Vanessa Jane Wong, a Form Four pupil from The ISF Academy, won the top award in the senior category, while Wan Ruixi, a Form Two student from HKUGA College, took the junior prize. The live finale showcase featured 20 student finalists delivering impassioned speeches on current affairs topics to a live audience and a panel of expert judges.
Take a closer look at what happened at the STANCE finale below.
Read more
Catch the full livestream here, and follow us on Instagram for exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes access and stories you won’t see anywhere else.
Hong Kong’s education authorities are set to review the policy on the medium of instruction in public secondary schools for the 2028-34 cycle. The review follows the completion of a three-year longitudinal study, commissioned by the Education Bureau and conducted by the University of Hong Kong (HKU), which examined how English was implemented as the medium of instruction for certain lessons in three schools starting from the 2022-23 academic year.
The news comes amid calls from a council representing subsidised secondary schools, which urged the government to allow more institutions to teach subjects in English to better prepare pupils moving on to higher education programmes conducted in the language.
Learn more in this exclusive report by the Post.
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Nearly one in four Hong Kong students struggle to complete their homework without the help of AI, according to a survey by leading think tank Our Hong Kong Foundation. Conducted between July and December last year, the study polled 1,200 primary and secondary teachers and students and found that AI tools have become deeply embedded in classrooms.
Some 91% of teachers and 95% of students reported using AI in teaching and learning. At the same time, the rapid uptake has fuelled concern among educators. 71% of teachers polled worried about AI’s toll on students’ problem-solving skills, while 63% were concerned that AI threatened critical thinking.
Dive into the survey results and the think tank’s proposed next steps below.
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The Times Higher Education (THE) has released its latest annual subject rankings, with HKU ranking seventh for education and placing among the top 20 for medical and health. Elsewhere, Peking University and Tsinghua University entered the top 10 rankings for computer science and physical sciences, respectively, for the first time ever.
The lists cover 11 subject areas and assess them using 18 performance metrics, such as teaching, research and internationalisation. THE chief global affairs officer, Phil Baty, said the rankings showed East Asia’s rising power, led by China, was now challenging the dominance of Western countries in certain academic fields.
For a detailed overview of the full subject rankings for Hong Kong's universities, click below.
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Hong Kong authorities are partnering with technology experts, professionals and educators to develop a highly intelligent AI platform tailored to the needs of the city’s schools, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin has said. Speaking to the Legislative Council, Choi announced that authorities were exploring the launch of a large language model (LLM) relating to the academic curriculum of Hong Kong’s schools. No timetable for the project has been given so far.
Educators and lawmakers weigh in on the announcement, and give their thoughts on what a citywide AI model for schools should deliver.
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More than half of Hong Kong’s 78 semi-private schools have applied to increase class sizes and student numbers in order to admit more non-local students. The applications follow the announcement last year of a new initiative that will allow DSS schools to take in non-local students on a self-financing basis. The new initiative will not affect local students’ chances of admission, as all additional places granted under the scheme are for non-locals only.
Unpack the full story with SCMP.
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This Lunar New Year, SCMP Learn invites young learners aged six to 12 to join our Chinese New Year Holiday Programme, a festive edition designed to build confidence in English communication through reporting, interviewing and on-camera presentation. Inspired by Lunar New Year traditions and personal storytelling, students will share their own festive experiences while developing speaking, presentation and collaboration skills in a fun and immersive newsroom-style setting.
Secure your child’s place and join us in welcoming the new year with confidence — register before 10 February!
Register now
The LCM Speech Festival returns for its 10th edition, offering children aged three to 14 a vibrant stage to showcase their creativity and self-expression. More than a competition, it’s a celebration of imagination and the power of the spoken word. Organised by the London College of Music and the Hotung Mills Education Foundation, applications are now open until 31 March.
Learn more
The Hong Kong International Young Musicians Competition is back and open for registration until 9 February. Chaired and directed by the renowned violinist Kirill Troussov, the competition offers budding violinists and performers of chamber music instruments a prestigious platform to showcase their talent. Finalists will have the exciting opportunity to perform in Hong Kong City Hall and Tsuen Wan Town Hall, two of the city’s most celebrated venues.
Learn more
Does your teen dream of following in the footsteps of Bill Gates or Steve Jobs? The Blue Ocean Student Entrepreneur Competition is the ideal place to get started. Inspired by Chan Kim and Renée Mauborgne’s global bestseller Blue Ocean Strategy, here young innovators can turn their ideas into action, build real-world skills and take their first steps towards making a big impact. Open to individuals or teams of up to five, participants are required to think of a real-world problem that no one has solved before and create a blue ocean business idea to solve it. Submissions
close on 22 February!
Learn more
That’s it for this month! Stay curious, stay informed and we’ll see you next month with more handpicked stories, opportunities and insights for you and your child.
In the meantime, make sure you're following us on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates and behind-the-scenes content.
Warm regards,
SCMP Learn Team
