In its submission to the Government on the 2023 Policy Address, the EOC put forth a range of recommendations aimed at providing increased support for persons with disabilities (PWDs), students with special educational needs (SEN), and the non-ethnic Chinese (NEC) population, among others.

One of the proposals is promoting universal design and smart city technology to enhance mobility for PWDs and the elderly. The Government can also provide more incentives for employers to hire PWDs, as the unemployment rate of PWDs (11%) is nearly double that of the total population (5.8%).

As for students with SEN, whose number continues to grow, in view of the challenges faced by schools in allocating resources and establishing appropriate support for the students, as well as the long-term shortage of professionals in this field, there is a pressing need to cultivate and expand talent to enhance the provision of educational psychology services for students with SEN. The EOC recommends the Government to consider providing additional funding and increasing student enrolment quotas for undergraduate programmes in psychology-related fields. Furthermore, the Government can establish a legal framework to better safeguard the rights of students and outline the responsibilities of relevant stakeholders.

The EOC has also proposed various measures to tackle sexual harassment, such as imposing a positive duty on employers and providing them with clear directions on how to bring sexual harassment to an end, implementing bystander intervention training to empower employees as the first line of defence against gender-based violence in the workplace, and improving sexuality education for the younger generation to instil correct values about sex and relationships from an early stage.

Regarding the non-ethnic Chinese community, the EOC suggests the Government develop a full-fledged Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum that includes specific pedagogy, corresponding teaching tools and textbooks, systematic teacher training, etc. These elements are currently insufficient in the existing Chinese Language Curriculum Second Language Learning Framework. The Government should also track and closely monitor NEC students’ learning progress and take proactive actions to steer them to the mainstream Chinese curriculum under the HKDSE examination system.

Furthermore, in order to engage a wider community in playing a part in racial inclusion, the Government can take the lead in strengthening publicity efforts in this area. This could involve organising a cross-departmental, territory-wide campaign to promote racial acceptance.

For further recommendations, please refer to the full version of the submission.

• Read the EOC’s submission