Zhang Dejiang, chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC), visited the University of Macau's (UM) Hengqin campus in neighboring Zhuhai on Wednesday morning at the end of his three-day inspection tour of the Macao Special Administrative Region. While addressing representatives of Macao's education sector - UM officials, faculty members and students in a meeting there - the country's top legislator praised the education community for doing a good job in national education as well as passing basic knowledge to local youths. He also urged Macao youths to learn more about the motherland through increased exchanges with their mainland counterparts. And he called on young people in Macao to love the country as well as their city and aim to contribute to the nation's development and Macao's as well.

There is no question that what Zhang said to Macao's education community and youths in general also applies to Hong Kong and is perhaps even more necessary to Hong Kong's education sector and youths in general than to Macao's. Some people in Hong Kong may disagree but they can't deny the fact that many local university students are so consumed by politics that they have all but given up on academic studies and graduation.

Meanwhile, a recent public opinion poll found some 14 percent of Hong Kong youths had absolutely no idea what they would or could do in the future, presumably after finishing school education. Although that percentage is not the highest in the world or the region, the pollsters agree with some local scholars that it is high enough to warrant serious alarm among officials as well as educators and parents.

As cliched as it may sound, many people would agree nothing is sadder than complete loss of hope. That is why Hong Kong society and especially the younger generation must bring that demoralizing percentage down as much as possible. As very often hopelessness is due to inability to see beyond the familiar environment or to reach out, we need to let all local youths understand their well-being relies on a prosperous Hong Kong that is organically connected to the mainland and the rest of the world. As Zhang said in Hengqin, Macao youths should tie their destiny to the nation's development and Macao's as well. And it is safe to believe he was telling Hong Kong youths as well that they should tie their destiny to the nation's and Hong Kong's development. Young people in Hong Kong and Macao should accept that their future is tied to the nation's development and particularly their hometown's.

(HK Edition 05/11/2017 page8)