Dear Editor,
I am writing to express my opinions on the government’s plan of pulling down my school building, which is Sunny Secondary School, as part of the redevelopment of Kwun Tong. The government has proposed to settle all students to a disused school building until a new one is built on another site. The plan has stirred a hot debate. While many oppose the proposal and argue that the school building contains precious collective memories, in my opinion, the government’s plan is definitely a good idea. Pulling down the old school building is more beneficial than preserving it for all students and teachers.
First and foremost, the proposal will allow students to have a better learning environment which is essential for us to study well. Our school building is really old and small. It is 46 years old. The lack of facilities and overcrowding problem make the environment not suitable for us to study properly. Especially under the new education system, the demand of classrooms and laboratories has noticeably risen. Students and teachers have to scramble for classrooms every day. Besides, our campus is so small that students are forced to study in a crowded and unpleasant environment.
What is worse is not only the poor campus’ internal environment, the surroundings around is in fact, also unbearable. Since the roads around my school are narrow and crowded, traffic congestion occurs frequently. While it causes great inconvenience for students and teachers going to school, intolerable noise and air pollution are also the inevitable result. Apparently, under such an undesirable environment, many of us cannot concentrate on our studies. Only by relocating us to a new, big and pleasant campus will all the problems be solved. Therefore, for the sake of students and teachers, the government’s plan should be carried out as soon as possible.
On top of providing a better learning environment, pulling down the school building can ensure the safety of students, teachers and even the passers-by. My school building is rather old and shabby. There are cracks found on the external wall of buildings. The concrete bits may fall down and cause injuries at any time. In order to avoid accidents happening, no doubt, my school building should be pulled down.
Some argue that the school building has to be preserved as it contains students’, schoolfellows’ and teachers’ precious collective memories. They say that it is important to retain the school building which is a part of school’s history and culture. It may be true that preserving our collective memories is important, but the interest of students of the school today and future is even more important. We should not ignore their urgent needs but selfishly focus on the ‘meaningful’ memories of those who have graduated. The interest of students at present and future outweighs that of students in the past, doesn’t it? A school should put students’ needs and safety as its first priority, but not its historical and cultural value.
Moreover, some people argue that rehabilitation could be a better way out. I do have doubts. Our school is located at the center of the redevelopment area, which he government plans to redevelop into a commercial center bringing a new life to the community. If our school is kept, it will not match the new colors of the community and even hinder the economic development of the district. We should not turn a blind eye to these undesirable effects. For the betterment of the whole community, sacrifice is necessary. Therefore, pulling down the school building and relocating us to a new campus are the only and the best solution.
In conclusion, I absolutely support the government’s proposal of pulling down my school building. It will allow students to study in a more safe, pleasant and peaceful environment. For the betterment of students, teachers and the community, the plan should be carried out immediately.
Yours faithfully,
Chris Wong
Chris Wong