Cantonese takes centre stage

Chaa-hat (in glasses) proudly reads out her Cantonese script to fellow students during an end-of-term performance last week to showcase her language abilities after a year of hard-work.

The 10-year-old was among the 350-odd ethnic-minority students studying at the Po Leung Kuk Camoes Tan Siu Lin Primary School in Mongkok. The school has long been catering for non-Chinese students and has been teaching them basic Cantonese and written Chinese since September.

Primary Three and Four students performed dramas and sang, while Primary Ones shopped for groceries using Cantonese. 'I am happy that I can speak Cantonese,' said Chaa-hat. 'It makes me feel more confident.'