Equal Opportunities Commission submission to the Legislative Council February, 2021.
Page 8: On the educational challenges of non-Chinese-speaking (NCS) students, the EOC made the following recommendations to government:
Develop a full-fledged Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum complete with specific pedagogy, corresponding teaching tools, textbooks, and systematic training for teachers;
Arrange for Chinese subject teachers to undergo pre-job training on teaching Chinese as a second language; and
Revise the Chinese language examination options for second language learners and develop a qualification ladder with progressive levels, through which the language level and proficiency of NCS students can be better reflected and recognised.
The EOC believes there is an urgent need for action by the Government, especially under the pandemic, as school closure and reduced interaction with peers and teachers are undermining the progress of learning Chinese among the NCS students, and may further impede their educational and career pathways in the longer run. The EOC will continue to liaise with Education Bureau on this.