Language learning holds the key to future success
Early intervention can ensure children from ethnic minority families don’t start off at a disadvantage.
According to the government’s 2011 population census, about 451,000 local residents, or roughly 6 per cent of the population identify themselves as non-Chinese.
Ten-year-old Joelle Gabatino, whose family hails from the Philippines, attends TKDS Fong Shu Chuen Primary School and, because the medium of instruction is Chinese, she receives extra learning support as a non-native speaker.
“We have some teaching assistants who can speak our language and support our activities,” she says.
She has not had major problems, but recognising a widespread concern, Hong Kong-based property developer Hip Shing Hong has initiated a special CSR programme to assist children with roots in the Philippines, Nepal, India, Thailand and Pakistan. Not all children from one of Hong Kong’s ethnic minority groups have the good fortune to attend the “right” school, with the result that they struggle to fit in and may fall behind with their studies.
As a first step, the company held a Christmas party last year, which proved a big success.
“I enjoyed the games and had a warm feeling when I received Christmas gifts from the organiser,” Gabatino says.
David Fong, managing director of Hip Shing Hong, was delighted with the response. But as a board member of a primary school with a relatively large number of ethnic minority students, he is well aware of the challenges children encounter and that more can be done to help.
