As the Covid-19 pandemic slows in Hong Kong, hopes have emerged that things would return to normal soon, and so have plans for classes to resume. For some students, however, life before the coronavirus outbreak had its own share of pains and woes. School bullying, in particular, continues to haunt students deemed “different” by their peers, including children with special educational needs (SEN), LGBT teenagers and others.

To raise awareness of the issue, EOC Chairperson, Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin recently contributed an article to Hong Kong Free Press and Inmedia, citing cases of bullying against LGBT students and those with disability while calling for a collective effort to ensure campuses are not only safe from the coronavirus, but also free from harassment.

“At the heart of the problem is an educational system that is struggling to cultivate a sense of respect for difference and diversity among the younger generation,” wrote Mr Chu. “There is an urgent need to modernise our moral or value education curriculum, so that it can properly address issues arising from the developments of technology, be it the misrepresentation of people with disability in ‘funny’ YouTube videos, hate speech in chat groups, or stereotypical gender portrayals on Instagram.”

From illustrated storybooks for children such as the Tally & friends series to recommendations to the Education Bureau for a holistic reform of sexuality education, the EOC has stepped up its effort in recent years to build schools’ capacity for teaching empathy and compassion to students. But at the end of the day, countering bullying must be a collaborative effort among parents, teachers, school administrators, the media, content platforms, and the Government.

To read the full article, please click the link below.

• Read the article