Letter: Miracle of Hong Kong's schools

Sir: The Department for Education official quoted in your article, 'Education official in row over class sizes' (5 September), is badly misinformed if he really believes that authorities in the Far East are happy with the situation in which they achieve 'high standards with less money and classes of 40 to 50 pupils'.

I was involved in policy making in the area of education in Hong Kong until last summer and, in that case, rapidly increasing allocations are being made specifically to reduce class sizes and upgrade teachers' qualifications.

Students' astonishingly high standards there have a great deal to do with parental attitudes and the demands of the job market, but they owe nothing whatsoever to class sizes, which are acknowledged to be far too large.

Yours sincerely,

PHILIP MACKLEY

Escrick, York

5 September