fibbi

In my opinion, there are always some "funky" (or lousy) students in any school. If you don't want to SEE student smoking outside the school, perhaps you would want to choose private. However, "Yun Yee" from private school still get caught smoking. So it's a matter of public school u "see" these students but private school they may just "hide" the "bad" things. West side or East side...I would be biased for school in West side because I do think that if family in general is more well off, they would spend more time on kid and thus kid would be more properly behaved. Having said that, I knew students from Winderxxxx Highshcool which is almost on the bottom of the Fraser Institute list, all 3 people I know go to UBC or SFU and no "bad habit". So I guess family support is equally important.

Also, it's a matter of if you are financial capable of sending kids to private school...it's not cheap...

fibbi

I didn't attend elementary school here so I can't comment. I have seen my cousin sending kids to private elementary and more home work for sure, and more parent involvement is needed (e.g. those parents' night, voluntary work etc.)
During my 3 years high school education here (in public school), I do think that it's ok, the course material covers less than HK but deeper (if u know what I mean). I have met quite a lot of good teachers as well.