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The education system in Hong Kong focuses on elements considered practical in our society: Local schools are known for turning out students well versed in reading, writing and, especially, arithmetic. Exams and tests complete the educational structure and everybody, from pupils to parents and teachers, understands the dynamics related to school life and seems to have accepted them.

Despite the local school system being career-oriented, and the three Rs - reading, writing and arithmetic, undoubtedly useful, something nevertheless seems to be lacking; while it is important to be well-read and know how to do math, the usual school subjects don't cover some important aspects of life that students will encounter later on in their lives. When students are too busy preparing for exams, they often miss other important lessons for coping with life that go beyond textbooks and pre-structured lessons.

The importance of textbook lessons notwithstanding, I feel that exams cannot mirror real world challenges; furthermore, not all of life's hypothetical challenges can be measured by a sit-down exam, much less one's ability to deal with them. It is understandable that examinations are part of the education process as they have their place in assessing the students' academic and later professional knowledge. Students have different personalities and come from different backgrounds; the full spectrum of students' skills and abilities exceed the ability of exams to measure them. This is where drama plays such an important role in a holistic education for young people as it is the closest to real life training.

As a discipline, it explores life issues by focusing on strategy and decision making, helping students set their minds on what will be waiting for them once they finish their academic studies.

It develops skills and abilities such as speaking, critical thinking, self-confidence, time management, self-discipline and teamwork while exploring emotions, empathy and relationships. In short, it helps students develop inter-personal skills. Drama, presented in any style, offers a window on real-life situations and human issues and thereby gives students who are perhaps less inclined to science or math the chance to shine, learning how to believe in themselves along the way.

But drama opens horizons as much in the consuming as in the performing. By watching live performances, whether at school or at one of the increasing number of independent theatre companies in town, students can confront issues - personal, practical, economic, emotional, intellectual, historical, political - that they may well have faced in one form or another. One listens to teachers but one experiences theater. Nowadays Hong Kong is particularly exposed to this type of dramatic practice as more local independent productions are blossoming in town; new theatrical projects are staged, providing not only a vibrant contribution to the local artistic community but also more opportunities to introduce the dramatic arts in students' daily lives.

Pupils exposed to drama are presented with options that, they soon realize, could prove useful regardless of their intended choice of career. Our daily lives revolve around social situations, decision making, relationships and conflicts. Elements like imagination, empathy, communication, self-confidence, immersion and dedication are at the core of everyone's daily life in both careers and relationships, and yet they cannot be experienced in textbooks.

Drama does not need to be separate from other activities: "Performance" is a part of class presentations, sports or extracurricular debate programs, and overlaps with literature and history. Most importantly, drama can be valuable as students prepare for the HKDSE, where critical thinking and analysis are required in order to elaborate thoughts. As the public examinations set high standards and the preparation toward them begins as soon as students embark on their secondary education, I personally believe that much pressure could be relieved if students were exposed to drama whilst preparing for their DSE. Verbal skills would be improved and their workload would be relieved by simply actively participating in class activities, without looking too far from their daily environment.

In Hong Kong there is a lot of room for drama - both as an activity and vehicle for exploring issues - to be explored and expanded; and schools have all the potential to do so; after all, they play a key role in students' lives, and they surely can introduce elements that are at the core of this concept. We all aim to maintain a fair, strong and functional society where all are exposed to equal opportunity - which in turn requires using multiple avenues. Drama - inherently multidisciplinary - provides an excellent return on investment, in time and effort.

It is in our best interest to cultivate human skills in our support of local youth.

(HK Edition 05/12/2015 page6)