Every child deserves to have a dream, and education is what empowers dreamers to become achievers. In Hong Kong, however, access to quality education remains fraught with difficulties for ethnic minority (EM) students. Their struggle with learning the Chinese language, in particular, has a direct impact on their higher education and career prospects.

Despite existing support measures – which include a tiered funding system for schools admitting non-Chinese speaking (NCS) students, the alternative of taking Applied Learning Chinese in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination (HKDSE), and a curriculum framework for learning Chinese as a second language introduced by the Education Bureau in the 2014-15 school year – there have been persistent concerns over their effectiveness and the lack of measurable progress.

Determined to level the field, the EOC Working Group on Education for EMs collected feedback from a wide spectrum of stakeholders, including students, EM parents, teachers, principals, language experts, NGOs and employers over the course of 15 months since January 2018. A total of 170 individuals were engaged, and their voices incorporated into the final report – “Closing the Gap”, released on 25 September 2019. Besides pinpointing problem areas, it offers 22 recommendations for ensuring equal opportunity in education for EMs.

“Many of our recommendations are reflections of long-held concerns and need speedy action,” said Dr. Rizwan ULLAH, EOC Member and Convener of the Working Group. “We have identified three top priorities, namely: plugging the gaps in the current system to provide a complete Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum for NCS students; strengthening teacher training to fully equip teachers with both the skill set and mindset for teaching second language learners; and revisiting the Chinese language examination options for second language learners and structuring them into a qualification ladder and pathway.”

Riding on the Government’s public consultation on the upcoming Policy Address, the EOC has submitted the report to the Government. “It is our responsibility as well as in our interest to ensure that all members of society, including EMs, can pursue their dreams on a level playing field and live their lives without discrimination”, wrote Mr Ricky CHU, EOC Chairperson in the foreword of the report. “This goal cannot be achieved without the cooperation of policymakers, public service providers and all stakeholders involved. The EOC looks forward to discussing our recommendations and working closely with the Government and all other parties concerned.”

• Download the report
• Read the press release