Hong Kong parents of special needs pupils slam Education Bureau for lack of space, long bus rides and poor planning

Parents of 23 pupils living in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing told there was no room for their children – meaning new schools and long daily trips

Spokeswoman says no new schools for special needs pupils had been built in the area since the 1980s

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Parents of pupils with special needs and lawmaker Fernando Cheung (front far left) gather on Monday to criticise the Education Bureau. Photo: Handout

Published: 9:00am, 16 Jul 2019Updated: 9:28am, 16 Jul 2019

At least 20 special needs children will be stuck with long daily trips to new schools in September because their district has no space for them, according to parents who blamed the situation on Hong Kong’s poor planning.

The parents of 23 pupils living in Tsuen Wan and Kwai Tsing in the western New Territories said on Monday they were informed by the Hong Kong Education Bureau by mail in late May that there were not enough places in the two area primary schools for those with moderate mental disabilities.

The bureau could only arrange for these pupils to study at a special school in Sham Shui Po in Kowloon or Tseung Kwan O in southeast New Territories, parents cited the letter as saying.

The parents said they only had 14 days from the time of the letter to decide where to enrol their children.

Angel Ngo On-kei, a spokeswoman for the parents’ group, said it would be tough on parents and their children to attend a school that was far away.

“Our children tend to have issues with their emotions and physical conditions, which need the help of parents,” she said. “If our children are studying in Tseung Kwan O, it will be difficult for us to reach the school immediately and could cost more than HK$200 [US$$25]to take a taxi there.”