It was announced in March that the project work (PW) subject will be removed from the calculation of university admission scores, starting with the JC1 intake in 2024.

My juniors were overjoyed, but as someone who is currently taking PW now, I must admit I have mixed feelings about this. 

Touted as the subject that “actually teaches you stuff you can apply in your working life”, PW has definitely taught me many life skills. Students learn how to research topics effectively, write a concise but detailed report, and give a persuasive oral presentation.

PW also teaches students management skills, such as how to handle conflicts within the team and motivate free riders, all of which can happen at the workplace. 

However, PW has also caused my classmates stress and anxiety. Even though our academically rigorous promotional examinations are finally coming to an end, instead of taking a short break after a gruelling revision period, we go home to work on our presentations and reports.

As PW shifts into a pass-or-fail subject, students and educators still need to keep in mind its value. This way, students will still learn these essential skills, and be nurtured to become future leaders.

Ethan Chan Hou Kin, 17
Junior College 1