22/11/2013 : The Pulse

Ethnic Minority Education
Excluding domestic helpers, Hong Kong's South Asian community, largely made up of Pakistanis, Nepalese and Indians, is relatively large, at just over 1%. Many are second or even third-generation Hongkongers, but due to their relatively low level of education, they often have very limited job opportunities. And that's not the only problem. Since the Handover in 1997, a growing number of jobs formerly open to English speakers have added a Chinese-language requirement. For any immigrant, grasping the dominant language of their environment can provide a path to smooth integration. Many minority parents want their children to start on the ladder early. But the chances are that ethnic minority children will not be able to get kindergarten schooling.


English Schools Controversy

If you want to get your children a good English-language education in Hong Kong you can always pay to get them into an entirely private school. Lower down the cost scale were the subvented English Schools Foundation schools. But now the ESF is losing its government subventions, and parents at one related school, Discovery College, are facing a greater than 50% fee hike in the next five years.