Prof Lai (Prof Daniel LAI, Dean and Chair Professor, Faculty of Social Sciences, Hong Kong Baptist University),

Ms Yau (Ms Carol YAU, Chairperson, TREATS),

Distinguished guests and friends,

Good morning and thank you, TREATS, for inviting me to give opening remarks at today’s conference.

Yesterday (the 3rd of December) marked the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, proclaimed by the United Nations in 1992 to promote the rights of people with disabilities in all aspects of society. Our event today is a fitting way to honour this annual occasion, and the EOC is delighted to be one of the Supporting Organisations.

I am aware that the three different shapes in TREATS’s logo, all brightly coloured, represent a celebration of the uniqueness in every child, and a need for us to work together to create a society where people with diverse abilities and backgrounds can thrive and prosper.

A key to realising this vision is to ensure that our children, from an early age, get to interact with others, learn to embrace differences, and feel empowered to explore and develop their potential. The future, after all, belongs to them, which is why TREATS’s programmes, such as “Sports for ALL”, are crucial and valuable. From rugby and kin-ball to sailing and dragon boat races, these initiatives allow children with and without special needs to come together, learn and enjoy sports, appreciating what teamwork means, and the places it can take them.

Indeed, I look forward to hearing from our speakers this morning about their research findings on the benefits of inclusive programmes based on sports, recreation and play, and how technology and innovation can further their impact.

Of course, we at the EOC play an active part, too, in safeguarding the right to equality for children with disabilities. As a statutory body enforcing the Disability Discrimination Ordinance, we have investigated and conciliated complaints, for instance, about schools imposing additional and unjustifiable conditions when admitting students with special educational needs. We have also handled cases where children with special needs were being bullied and harassed by their schoolmates.

Beyond law enforcement, we strive to provide a platform for educators to share their knowledge and best practices in supporting students with special needs. This February, for example, we co-organised a webinar with The Association of Heads of Secondary Schools of Tsuen Wan, Kwai Chung and Tsing Yi District. Encouragingly, over 180 participants showed up to join our discussion on what concrete measures could be taken to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on students with special needs.

Last but not the least, the EOC is committed to advancing the well-being of children not just with diverse abilities, but also those from ethnic minority backgrounds. As you may know, parents of two-year-olds in Hong Kong are now anxiously waiting for results, having submitted their applications for kindergarten places for the next school year.

What worries us is that we continue to hear concerns from ethnic minority parents about certain kindergartens conducting interviews in Cantonese only. Surely, a two-year-old child who has only been in a mother-tongue-language environment cannot be expected to speak a different language, let alone be judged based on it.

The EOC has developed guidelines as to what kindergartens should or should not do to make sure their practices and policies are racially inclusive. Where appropriate, alternative means should be used to test the suitability of an applicant, such as observation during playtime.

At the end of the day, we need to involve all sectors in society in fostering an environment that welcomes every child and nurtures their growth regardless of their differences. As the title of the conference suggests, “partnership”, or cross-sector collaboration, is essential. I cannot wait to explore with you all how we can work more closely together to accelerate the pace of change.

With that, I wish the conference a great success, and thank you once again for having me.