The Audit Commission recently released a report on education support for non-Chinese-speaking (NCS) students, echoing many of the concerns the EOC has raised in the past, including the need for periodic monitoring of the implementation of support measures and better capacity-building of teachers teaching Chinese as a second language. To further raise awareness of the issues, EOC Chairperson, Mr Ricky CHU Man-kin published an article in Hong Kong Free Press, Hong Kong Economic Journal, Inmedia and Stand News this month.

The number of NCS students in Hong Kong has been steadily growing. In order to ensure a level playing field where they can fully realise their potential both at school and later at work, facilitating their acquisition of the Chinese language is of primary importance. Acknowledging that the problem is not one of inadequate funding – the Government allocated HK$456.3 million from 2015/16 to 2019/20 for schools to support learning among NCS students – Mr Chu wrote that there appears to be a gap between policy intention and implementation.

Specifically, teachers are not getting enough incentive to receive in-service professional training, as noted in the EOC’s 2019 report Closing the Gap. Also, a fully-fledged Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum has yet to be developed; ideally every level of learning should have corresponding pedagogies, teaching tools and textbooks. Last but not the least, without periodic tracking and reporting of the progress of support measures, one can never ascertain their success and identify ways to enhance their effectiveness.

“Hong Kong has to look at its resources to future-proof itself. Its people are its most valuable resource. Having this home grown talent of non-Chinese youngsters who call Hong Kong home, and yet leaving them inadequately skilled to serve its society is poor planning to say the least and a waste of resources. It is also not fair for the students,” said Mr Chu. “It is time to fix this gaping hole in our education system, not simply because it is the right thing to do, but because it is an investment in Hong Kong’s future.”

• Read the article