Ethnic minority children from less affluent families can find locating a suitable school a problem. Both new arrivals and ethnic minority children born in Hong Kong may experience difficulty in gaining acceptance in the local school system, which at secondary level requires literacy in Chinese even in schools where the main medium of instruction is English. They may also be unable to afford the fees of most international schools.
There are a few government-run or aided schools that traditionally cater for these students. Other schools have been founded by organisations specific to a community. For example, Hong Kong Poinsettia Primary School was set up by Nepalese groups and Umah International Primary School by the United Muslim Association of Hong Kong. Both welcome all students.
Umah bases studies on the national curriculum of England and Wales, but schools catering for ethnic minorities often follow the local curriculum, with the exception of Chinese. They use English as a medium of instruction and offer other languages such as Urdu, Hindi and Nepalese.
At secondary level, students study for the HKCEE and British-based public examinations for languages such as French and Hindi. Students go on to further education or seek work here.
Privately run California School has chosen to offer British GCEs (General Certificate of Education) exams only, which principal Perez Akhter sees as more useful to ethnic minority students in finding work. 'The Hong Kong syllabus is designed for locals and ethnic students suffer as there is a mismatch,' he said.
Meanwhile, government-run Sir Ellis Kadoorie Secondary School (West Kowloon) is introducing Chinese leading to HKCEE this year to assist ethnic minority students wanting to work locally, according to assistant principal Julia Cheung Yeuk-mong. The school also runs a Hong Kong orientation programme and short, practical course in Cantonese for newly arrived pupils.