Tuen Mun school apologises for selective use of language in labelling ‘problem’ pupils

A Tuen Mun school at the centre of a row after its principal labelled pupils with emotional and behavioural problems drug users, gangsters and sexually promiscuous has apologised for selectively using descriptions of such youngsters from Education Bureau guidelines.

Lawmakers said the guidelines, established in 1994, were out of date and criticised the bureau for stereotyped language that negatively labelled students.

The apology was issued on Sunday after Yan Oi Tong Chan Wong Suk Fong Memorial Secondary School principal Choi Kwok-kwong faced heavy criticism over his letter to the bureau opposing its plan to relocate a primary school for such pupils next to Yan Oi Tong.

Choi came under fire for only citing the worst descriptions in the bureau’s identification guidelines of students with emotional and behavioural issues in the letter, which came to light last week.

Yan Oi Tong’s school administration committee said on Sunday that the school had written to the bureau to ask for more consultation on the relocation plan.