Is Hong Kong’s education system failing non-ethnic Chinese children?

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Kraiz Kayastha grew up attending a Chinese-medium primary school in Hong Kong. But after almost six years, the Nepalese Hongkonger still struggles to understand his lessons, let alone speak the language. Despite record government funding allocated to programmes meant to boost Chinese proficiency among its non-Chinese student population, a language crisis has persisted for many years. One local charity is on a mission to bridge the language gap in time for pupils to transition into Chinese-medium schools.
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[@SouthChinaMorningPost]

Read the full story: sc.mp/education-non-chinese-speaking

[@101yayo]

Its almost impossible to learn a language fluently if you only use it in school. Trust me I know. You have to be fully immersed in that language which means friends, teachers, environment, entertainment, etc.

[@babosing]

Yes they can if they want to. Many students only learn mandarin before they start university, mostly for about 1-2 years of full time language school. Many of them can find white collar job in China after graduating university.

[@SiodogRehane]

Not true. Is about proper language learning not academic language learning

[@sentisenti3229]

Every one learning more than one language do it lol. Impossible is a lazy mindset.

[@playmakersmusic]

Didn't you just contradicted yourself? Also it depends on the language. I learnt English from school, and had to speak Mandarin at home.

[@101yayo]

@@playmakersmusic No if you only learn the language at school and don't use it anywhere else its not possible to learn.

[@baruchlev2658]

The early day Chinese immigrants in the US faced the same problem. The parents were doing all they can to help their kids to learn English, such as learning the language togarher with the kids, let the kids read, listen and watch more local language programs. The school or the government promgram can provide more support but the parents here need to do more on their own.

[@baruchlev2658]

@Dragon Force so your point is that these immigrants are dumb? They didn't chose to go to a country where English is the primary language?

[@cls-py8uh]

@dragonforce8717 This is true, although such experiences as experienced by the Chinese diaspora are not merely limited to Chinese Americans, but are shared among Chinese counterparts all over the world as immersed in a great diversity of many cultures on every continent. Today, Chinese Americans do much better, on average, on, for instance, the SAT language component than every other major demographic in the United States today. Additionally, Chinese Americans do not merely not experience government or public support, but are penalized and in increasingly brazen fashions due, for example, to various implementations of systems of affirmative action, and still the significant success was attained despite the odds. However, it would be productive for Hong Kong SAR of China to optimize potential human capital nonetheless by attempting to improve rates of Chinese literacy among its various demographics.

[@qiaowang7147]

I went to an ESL & FSL class to learn English and French when I immigrated to Canada.

[@cls-py8uh]

​@dragonforce8717 It is likely that the vast proportion of human populations in general can contribute through various means, with potentially greater efficiency if only there was greater literacy. I'll admit, I am leaning towards the view that such demographics in Hong Kong would likely demonstrate to be less productive in mathematics or in the sciences in the aggregate compared to East-Asian demographics in general (such a belief is in part motivated by various studies pointing to the disparity that exists pertaining to the mean-average g-factor as possessed by different demographics as realized in similar environmental conditions). However, significant contributions can be provided nonetheless outside of abstract fields in mathematics and the sciences, as in the few occupations that are likely to demonstrate continued difficulties in the context of automation in the coming decades. That, of course, whether such demographics were to be found disproportionately working in fields as nursing (as in the case of Filipino nurses as found disproportionately utilized in the Australian healthcare system, contrasting the many well-trained Indian doctors in the UK healthcare system), or even in fields as care taking, such kinds of contributions can assist in retaining an increased quality of life for their employers while their employers are free to redistribute additional time and personal resource into the few areas that require intensive focus - as opposed to spending time doing laundry, making meals, etc. Indeed, there is much disappointment to be expressed over the rental crisis in Hong Kong SAR of China due to the bizarre implementation of incredibly irresponsible "capitalistic" economic policies in previous times. One merely hopes that the PRC can provide additional assistance especially in the future when the 50 years of "political independence" is finally terminated.

[@ragebait988]

@Dragon Force no.

[@sgsairl1706]

It's actually the same in every country, you have to fluent in their language to get better job opportunity. You can pass using English in international school, but that won't work in society where English is not main language. You can't communicate or can even make fatal mistake at work even by slight different words meaning. What make Chinese different and hard is that you have to memorize hundred thousands of characters instead of combining alphabets. Even Japanese only use about 3,000 of those words as Kanji.

[@lukemurray4950]

Exactly yet the media here has tried to make it out that China is doing something wrong. This could literally be an anti immigration ad but they don't even see that.

[@samgyeopsal569]

Chinese only need 4000 characters to be proficient, not as much as you claim

[@tegdub]

Exactly. This woke stuff is getting out of hand. 'if in rome, do as the romans do'

[@o.sunsfamily]

We need to stop perpetuating the myth that Chinese is "too difficult" to learn. For centuries, countless people have done so. Characters are not "some random squiggles" on a paper. They are actually made up of different mutual components. And unlike English, Chinese grammar is much more logical. There's no inflection or irregular verbs. Of course, just like any other language, Chinese has its difficulties. And for school, you need to learn some classical Chinese as well. Nonetheless, as is true of all languages, it can be taught. I believe this was the point of the video: all children should be taught Chinese. I think extensive preschool language education is necessary to prepare NCS children for school. Of course, they should be supported to learn. And before you make such claims one more time, check how many Chinese schools for foreign children (not ABCs) there are in the US. Learning Chinese has been a trending for years. Don't tell me NCS children living in China cannot do the same.

[@dongiovanni8899]

High school Chinese requires only 5000 characters.

[@walnoremac]

Look at the Chinese kids growing up in canada. No matter what their parents first language at home, the kids are fluent in English . It is all depends what the kids speak during the break , after school etc. if the minority speak all in Chinese when after school with friends, they can easy to learn the Chinese. No excuse for those minority as their kids only speak English when playing

[@drgippy]

I hear you. I'm confused too as to why the non-ethnic Chinese students struggle learning Chinese. I'm a Hong Kong Chinese who immigrated to Canada at 7. Barely knew any English. Took me several years but I was pretty fluent by 12 or 13 even though my parents spoke Cantonese at home. I'm definitely not alone. Many Chinese students were like me as well. The thing is, learning English wasn't a matter of having the right attitude or willpower. We just didn't have a choice because we're surrounded by English all the time. So I don't get why the same thing is not happening for non-ethnic Chinese students in Hong Kong

[@walnoremac]

@@drgippy those minority in hk just like my kids learning French in ontario , my kids learnt French since grade 4 in class only , all french word return back to their french teachers after completed grade 9 french.

[@drgippy]

​@@walnoremacYes, I took French up to grade 12 and I've since forgotten all my French 😅

[@yushi9376]

Learning a second language really takes ur own effort. Schools help to teach u the concepts, but whether u take it or not depends on ur attitude and ur surroundings. I have seen some parents who created an immersive learning environment for their kids to learn a second language, even tho they are not proficient in that language. Their kids still learnt it well. The school wouldn’t help much if the parents avoid Cantonese at home.

[@lif6737]

What I’m getting from this is that Hong Kong isn’t really all that interested in integrating its non-ethnic Chinese population. They’re throwing money at a problem, but this has just served to build a lucrative industry rather than develop concrete policies to help these children.

[@tanjongmalim6869]

​@KJ V you are totally spot on. 👌 I wil extend that intolerance menatlity even for the Japan, Korean and Vietnamese people too

[@sentisenti3229]

​@@tanjongmalim6869 and even american and european considering how minorities or the majority black being treated there.

[@tanjongmalim6869]

@@sentisenti3229 i don’t think they are to the degree and extend like Hans, Japanese ,Korean and Vietnamese. If they do, then I am counting myself very fortunate as my interactions with the US, British and European for my past 40 years has yet to encounter. Or maybe I am wrong ... they maybe doing something to me behind closed door 😅

[@playmakersmusic]

@KJ V You're acting as if European countries encourage diversity, look at how Asians were treated in France and Germany even before the pandemic.

[@livingfinance]

Europe and America is far more diverse ethnically than any Chinese country.

[@psychoastronaut5251]

I'm non Chinese brought up in HK and trust me we were taught Chinese from primary School but i learned Chinese more from my friends and outside activities 😂

[@falsch4761]

Yep this is normal.

[@peekaboopeekaboo1165]

You learned the basics from primary school.

[@user-tb7kd3xf3d]

WW2 and 1997 ENDED LONG AGO, all, ALL THOSE others ( except koreans and japanese they can stay if they wish ) have to leave asap, OR WE WILL MAKE YOU ALL LEAVE

[@lyhthegreat]

as it should be..

[@ywee3980]

Same goes for any language. I was taught English in school but I really learned English through the internet and watching television series and movies.

[@eggheadegghead]

It applies to every individual and every country. If you can't speak the language of the land, what do you expect? come on.........

[@MochieeeMoon]

Exactly

[@lyhthegreat]

yeah what a pointless videos...i wonder what agenda it's trying to achieve here...

[@fareehafaiyyaz8475]

So , are you casually dismissing the claim of exclusion

[@pbworld7858]

It's tough when parents can't help with the Chinese homework either. The workload is already heavy.

[@yzhang2008]

It's normal. Chinese parents who don't understand English won't help with the homework of English subject.

[@Feliz831]

That's normal in every country if you want to succeed you have to learn the language. Languange is the door to everything. We in germany also having a lot of students from China, Japan and Korea and they have to learn german. My father is german but my mother isn't and she too had to learn german back in the 80's.

[@munster1404]

I can empathize with the young kid. I'm ethnic Chinese (and Cantonese on my father's side) and learning my native tongue was tough. I hated it with a passion. English is so much easier. I can't even speak Cantonese because my household prohibited it in order to let the kids concentrate on brushing up their english. I learnt to listen to Cantonese gradually by watching TVB dramas. Still can't speak it though.

[@vshen3640]

我觉得难以理解。尼泊尔人的母语并非英语。既然能学会英文为啥学不会中文呢。我读大学时遇见过很多留学生1-2年时间就会讲很流利的中文。中文的语法简单，很容易学。就是写汉字需要下点功夫。

[@kitkat15015]

对

[@taigaaj]

Is not easy specifically if it is not your first language, i'm learning mandarin and it is hard but not impossible. You need to have more empathy and put yourself in that person's shoes.

[@DM-sc4zy]

There's an old saying, do in rome as the romans do.

[@weihawang4246]

Somehow I suspect the Chinese ourselves keep telling people Chinese is hard to make us sound smart and special.

[@ireneserrano4570]

I lived in China dor 4 years and met americans that had 3 kids in Chima and went to a regular Chinese school, they spoke and wrote Chinese like any Chinese kid at their school! 🤷

[@vladkv4620]

But don't confuse with HK, where the second official language is English. Mostly non Chinese people in HK speak English!

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@vladkv4620 I don't confuse anything. The problem in HK is between learning Mandarin Chinese or Cantonese. Problem in HK has always been some factions in politics etc wanting only Cantonese in schools and universities. HK is part of China and the official language is Putonghua. When a foreigner goes to a school in HK, they learn Cantonese, Mandarin, English? If they want to go to regular schools, most probably they use Cantonese or/and Mandarin

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@vladkv4620 The video is the one confusing, because in the beginning they mention MANDARIN. Then they keeo saying Chinese. What is Chinese? Are they talking about learning Cantonese or leaening Mandarin. It is confusing people

[@MeiinUK]

@@ireneserrano4570 : Because some of these foreigners see the cantonese speaking people as communists, or militant people, that is why. And those individuals also don't tend to integrate with those others either. And they have their own business circles etc... And THIS is also why things are going wrong too. Whereas if you see what is going on in the UK. You can indeed see a mixture of different cuisines in mainstream locations.. and then more specialists in other areas etc. So...

[@pefsgk5092]

If they prefer to use English only and refuse to integrate with the local community, then the 5 eyes nations are the better choice for them. And they blame their own problems on everybody else except themselves.

[@ChirpyChat]

As a native Cantonese outside HKG, I feel for the minority children. For any teacher to put the blame on children lacking motivation because they don't understand the purpose of mastering the language, it's just plain laziness. Children need fun and inspiration to learn.

[@MeiinUK]

He is supposed to be the elders that others look up to. Instead.. he is saying and blaming the children as well.. and he is claiming that there is a lack of benefits.. despite his company being in power for more than 10 years.. and ended up with bad results.. and now he can go to the papers and shout out about that etc. Oh well... !!!

[@Wongwanchungwongjumbo]

Yes and to a Certain degree till Cannot cope and stress out towards Migration to Other English Speaking Countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and United Kingdom

[@hc1897]

As an ethnic Chinese, I suspect if I decided one day to settle in Nepal and have kids there, I would PROBABLY have problems if I didn’t know any Nepalese … just saying.

[@Suzumes527]

This is also a common practice in the States. Eg.: ESL (English as a second language). A class where everyone gets sent to for not looking or having an Anglo sounding first or last name. A place where teacher doesn’t teach students the language nor challenge students in English. Instead they teach English as if all students only know basic English or have a disability

[@vivianton]

I wish this was true but when I was in kindergarten, my friend got sent to esl class, we both looked Chinese, but I didn't get sent there and I felt left out.

[@Suzumes527]

@@vivianton lol you escaped the dumping ground of the education system. Trust me, be glad that they didn’t pick you. It’s a waste of time and brain cells. You will learn nothing in there. They will constantly teach the basics and nothing more.

[@yuzhang2339]

Weird. Though I only speak mandarin and my oral English is not so fluent, I totally accept that I must learn Dutch if I want to live in Netherlands or to learn French if I want to live in France. You must learn the local language. I am disgusted to see such a "news" reported by a HongKong media. Also, I hate every one who rejects local language but claims that "I want to live/work here". Your report really reminds me of the colony history that Hongkong is British Hongkong instead of Chinese Hongkong.

[@taitslong3417]

Typical comment from a Mandarin speaker on hongkong issues. It's not about not learning the local language but it's about the discrimination or segregation in learning the language.

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@taitslong3417 discrimination in learning the language? So if you go live to Holland and don't learn Dutch you are being discriminated? 🤣🤣🤣

[@melodramatic7904]

​@IreneSerrano It seems like you are purposefully misunderstanding the situation. This is my first time hearing about this and even I can understand the situation clearly. The students WANT to learn Chinese, but they are being put in schools that are not teaching them the language. Instead the schools are keeping them at basic level only. I am an american living in Italy and I am learning the language. My husband is Italian. When my son entered the school system, he understood Italian perfectly but only spoke English. They didn't separate him. He went to kindergarten and now elementary school with native italians. He is in 2nd grade now and he speaks fluent Italian. The point is that he speaks italian fluently BECAUSE HE WAS IN A NORMAL SCHOOL. I can guarantee you that is he was separated into some special school for non native italian speakers that only taught him basic italian and nothing else, he would have never learned the language.

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@melodramatic7904 I was laughing and being sarcastic at that person's comment. Whuch by the way he is accusing a Chinese Mandarin speaker of having an opinion on Hong Kong issues, racist as fk! Hong Kong is China, and they learn both Cantonese and Mandarin. This issue about Hong Kong, honey, is not exactly the same as americans living in Italy. In Hong Kong they learn Cantonese, the local language, and Mandarin or putonghua, China's official language. I am Spanish and i lived in China for 4 years, in Qingdao, Shandong province where they do have some dialects but the language is Mandarin/Putonghua. My acquaintance at univerdity was an american girl, married, living in China with her husband and old daughter, and during those years they had 2 more. The three of them went to normal Chinese school like any other Chinese kid, and they were fluent speaking and writting it. In Hong Kong you have Cantonese which uses the traditional writting system versus Mandarin/Putonghua which uses the Simplified Writing system. There might be foreigners having trouble learning two super difficult languages at the same time, plus having to study their regular lessons: maths, history, biology etc etc

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@melodramatic7904 The video talked about Cantonese at the beginning and a bit at the end but it seems like they keep saying "Chinese" al along the video when they are actually refering to Cantonese?... It is unclear. I don't think the video is actually clear about the problem. Because as i've said, in China, not Guangdong, Hong Kong etc where they also speak ans teach in Cantinese, the language is Mandarin/Putonghua. And foreigner's children were attending the school normally. So what they are doing in Hong Kong in particular is unclear. Are schools not wanting to teach them in Cantonese or in Mandarin? They say Chinese, but which one are they saying? The pronunciation and writing is different - Cantonese is not a dialect but a language... Hong Kong already had problems with wanting to use Cantonese for schools and Universities versus Mandarin, and that was a big issue... Foreigners in HK school have even more issues, are they teaching them in Cantonese, Mandarin, English, all of them? CHAOS

[@saltandlightofficial]

it’s like complaining you’re in Japan but don’t want to put in effort to learn Japanese. lol.

[@mitsume_slay]

Lol stay mad Cantonese is difficult

[@MeiinUK]

@@mitsume_slay : 50 years ago... not everybody were allowed to go to school. The Imperial Civil Servant exams.. were for "elite families" only... Some of those individuals are left in HK.. and they were supported to enter the literary schools.. and they became prolific writers, and speakers.. and are part of the educational sector.. up until in recent years... THEY propped up the city. And now.. there is nobody following them.. to hold up the forte any more. So what IS the point of anything any more? Nobody got what they wanted from life. In fact, Cantonese is going to be a dying language. Which it IS already....and so many laws, aren't particularly interpretted as well... both keeping literary work alive.. as well as actual translation work either. I had NO idea.. that the Hans Character sets... were not used in the mainland.. or at the UN.... Actually. I doubt that many individuals in Singapore .... or even Malaysia.. would do that any more either. This is why, indirectly.. those who worked in the financial sector indirectly forces.. injustices and wrongly translated things into formal documentations.. and more.... Why every Western loves HK ?....(Cos you escaped ALL the Western laws, which is SUPPOSED to be enforced on you too ! That is WHY !!!! )....

[@markusoreos.233]

​@@mitsume_slay From what I've seen, the only person who's mad enough to reply to every comment disagreeing with them is you.

[@Entername-md1ev]

I mean English is also an official language in HK though whereas it isn’t in Japan

[@wendyshoowaiching4161]

Shouldn't be a problem will take him longer time to integrate into the society. Children can adapt well

[@bobevans9996]

don't adapt - u can learn the language but you'll never be chinese - hongkong is no more british colony - hongkong is back to china again - all foreigners need to go out with the british - don't continue to colonize china - hongkong china is not india nepal australia america britain phillippine ... immigrate back home to india nepal australia america britain phillipine ... people born in one country immigrate to another all the time immigrate back home to origin or to any other country that want u even u r born in hongkong - hongkong don't want u - china got too many people we don't need any more - n countries r by blood dna - not uk usa by paper ink - go to those global villages - leave out go - china is for chinese only like india nepal ... r for indian nepal ... only - don't stay in country u r not wanted - shame - immigrate back home to u r own countries - so simple - chinese don't owe nepalnese or indians or ...

[@hannesRSA]

Normal in Australia. Kids come to school at any age, barely speaking any English sometimes. The teachers seem easy going and capable of catering for pupils at different levels.

[@lucky889s9]

Easy for your Chinese origin to say that. Now you go learn hindi

[@s._3560]

It is a problem if that community refuse to integrate and only wants to speak their own language all the time, yet demands job equality. Children before they even enter school have to pick up the basics of a language from their parents. Basics like pronouns, basic emotions, actions, objects etc. If the parents aren't even willing to learn, how can the child be motivated to learn?

[@bobevans9996]

@@hannesRSA go to usa n copy cats countries - china is not usa or copy cats countries - even born in hongkong immigrate back home to india nepal ... out leave go - don't become like the blacks in usa - u don't want to be like them n china is not usa won't have u - out out out

[@s._3560]

How could the parents not even bother to learn any basic Cantonese or Mandarin living in HK? Since you don't bother to learn then neither will your children. Alot of learning needs to take place outside school speaking the language. Don't move to the place if you don't bother to learn their language!!

[@davinxi5926]

Exactly!

[@drgippy]

The parents don't have to learn the language per se. My parents speak to me in Cantonese, which is the only reason why I can still speak Cantonese. Otherwise, I would only know English. But despite growing up in a home where we speak Cantonese, I still learned to be fluent in English several years after immigrating to Canada from Hong Kong. It's not due to some willpower. I had no choice. I was surrounded by English. So I am still baffled by how a kid born in Hong Kong would still struggle with Cantonese. I get what this video is saying. I think I'm still astonished at how segregation can hinder a child's integration with society in terms of their language.

[@user-c3jdf9lylzse]

Funny how 2 types of foreigners are treated. If you are a poor immigrant and struggle chinese = go back to your country! But if you are a rich foreigner and goes to international school = privilege

[@augusto8180]

A tonal language with 8,000 characters, if you slightly mispronounce a tone you might not be understood. Some characters are very complex in writing with over 8 strokes to draw them. Obviously, this is objectively way harder to learn than English.

[@ericsohn9133]

you don't need to know 8000; i heard somewhere you only need about 1000 or less for casual usage and I believe speech is more important rather than writing.

[@AlphineWolf]

She should move to Canada or another commonwealth country.

[@ragebait988]

Or even Better, stay in your own countries!

[@ragebait988]

@@bobevans9996 yea and ruin it for the original people.

[@lyhthegreat]

and learn english or suffer?

[@gamermomment2050]

​​@@ragebait988 the white Americans aren't even the "original people" and plus a lot of them who are skilled are paying tax money so some nan can have free healthcare and work harder.

[@kalinga2nihon]

Yes Canada and Australia need more migrants so they can try there.

[@ragebait988]

Wreckless to move somewhere where you can’t speak the native language.

[@zsarimaxim692]

Can’t speak the language is not a big deal as long as one puts in the effort to learn the new language, but not willing to learn the local language is just ridiculous.

[@ragebait988]

@Dragon Force exactly. I do not understand this entitled idea that the place they move to must change to suit them. Happens everywhere migrants go in numbers. Why leave your country to change the one you go to? Genetics is the answer.

[@Gossuarit]

@@ragebait988womp womp. We still getting the degrees and the jobs😂 Cantonese is gonna be wiped out by the CCP anyways, I might as well learn mandarin

[@treg9492]

Ethnic minority parents should just send their kids to a local school which has mainly Chinese speaking children from a young age.

[@dslr_hunter_2547]

All of them want to, but they are discouraged or can’t do it. The EDB provides funding to these local schools to admit NCS students, but they misuse it and often times try to admit the least possible NCS students possible. On the other hand, most NCS students parents only speak English. Often times, they are encouraged to sent their kids to English speaking schools because it saves them the hassle of not having to read notices in Chinese, deal with filling up forms in Chinese or communicate with teachers who don’t speak English well. And on top of that, with negative media portrayal of EMs in Hong Kong puts them in a negative light leaving schools to hesitate to admitting NCS students. So a lot has to change to encourage EMs parents to admit their children into local schools and for the local schools to properly use the funding provided by the EDB.

[@tanjongmalim6869]

​@@dslr_hunter_2547 thanks for the explanation

[@laurenregnier3710]

I think there should be a school where they help children who are having a hard time learning the language , a kind of special school for those who don't fit into normal schools because of the Chinese level . 😊

[@hanchiman]

They don't like it or can't adapt, they are always welcome to leave.

[@hanchiman]

@dragonforce8717 Even in France, that everyone like to talk "Liberal Europe". France force you to speak French and also not to wear a veil in public, don't like it or can't adapt, you can leave.

[@kalinga2nihon]

Leave to where? They are born in HK.

[@ArtIsDrawing]

Canada!!

[@supremacy2040]

Ppl need to understand that China, so much of Asia, is racist. Ppl only see race as a black /white issue, but Asia is openly racist especially to black & brown and Muslims. The reason why Chinese is so hard to learn for foreigners is bc they separate the Chinese students away from the foreigners. How can u learn a language in a country If they separate you from the populace? They treat u as an outsider from the beginning I have a theory that the gov doesn’t want to teach Chinese to foreigners bc then the language becomes easy for others to learn. They want to keep this image of Chinese being a language only Chinese can speak as it’s too hard for outsiders.

[@MeiinUK]

Maybe the government doesn't teach it is because they themselves aren't even Chinese. Has it occurred to you that might be the case ? If this is so.. then why would they teach you Chinese ? What does it benefit them ? How does it benefit them ? The original Chinese scholars that still teaches Chinese are the old imperial dynasties... So yeh.. the country is not Chinese. Not really.

[@mountainous_port]

East Asia, please don't follow the foot steps of Western countries in importing foreign immigrants. Keep guards your indigenous culture, never swap it for multiculturalism. Its a sick lie.

[@xueyunable]

your choose to live in a chinese speaking country and expects the local to adopt to your language instead of learning and merging with the local? 😅😅😅😅😅😅

[@cleric8543]

These folks are ridiculously, you're the one came to foreign land and ask them to suits what's makes you feel better.. impressive.

[@yimveerasak3543]

That happens in Malaysia. The country till now has two systems of education. National and National Type Schools which use Chinese Mandarin and Tamil as the language of instruction fully in primary level and partly in secondary level. National School only use Malay.

[@drugaddict931]

If the child was born and grew up in Hong Kong, shouldn’t he be fluent in Cantonese whether he is ethically Chinese or not? The whole world around you (advertisements,conversations,posters) etc are all in Cantonese, so the child should be able to pick it up fairly quickly, especially when he’s still young (it is proven that young children can learn languages easier). He might have a learning disability I suspect.

[@senyu1540]

bruh the thing is that in HK, most non Chinese students do learn cantonese from a young age, but it’s very basic cantonese compared to what locals learn like ncs and locals are even placed in two different classes for Chinese. We learn really easy topics like festivals, jobs, etc . This means that in the real word, ncs students cannot fully merge with the locals due to the level of cantonese the schools have taught them. Even the top ncs students in a Chinese class are not 100% fluent in cantonese and u can’t compare them to a local. This is why I think the government needs to step up the Chinese curriculum for ncs so they can actually utilise it outside school. Plus some schools require ncs to learn mandarin instead. Don’t be so ignorant and ignore other factors lol

[@MeiinUK]

@@senyu1540 : So why don't you ask other people for resources, or book stores, and read those cantonese books? There are now karaokes as well... as well as Cantonese podcasts. What the heck do you think people are doing every day in HK ? Most kids would do singalong with their friends. And families would do karaokes.. at home... to perfect their own pronunciations !! It is like.. how much anger, and displacements, and moodiness... COULD you exert onto random individuals any way ? Do you think that those other parents... are and have actual time.. to actually look after their own child, on a full time basis ? Many individuals.. especially those white collar people, are doing hard work now, holding down the GDP and holding down the fort.... Accusation isn't going to gain you any more help. In actual reality.

[@senyu1540]

@@MeiinUK what in the world I’m not exerting my anger into “random individuals”😭😂 I’m talking abt the gov, isn’t it their responsibility to help their citizens? And yea of course, I do agree that there are other learning resources but schools also play a major role in teaching and promoting the language. Lemme use ur example, how can the kids even read the Chinese lyrics during the karaoke if they don’t know the characters and the meaning of them? Cause all they learnt at school was basic canto.

[@user-c3jdf9lylzse]

because canto pop culture is boring compared to american pop culture which most ethnic minority consume they also prefer kpop kdrama or anime over anything from HK. not much u cant do HK pop culture is lame. Why do you think so many ethnic minorities have american accents not british ones like they were taught in school because the stuff they consume is american from mainstream to youtubers @@MeiinUK

[@Gossuarit]

@@MeiinUKbc they’re children. It’s already hard enuf with their tuff education system.

[@jieliu8088]

Imagine immigrating to US or UK but you don’t want to learn English.

[@theotheleo6830]

Too many do exactly that.

[@ragebait988]

Millions do it and it will destroy the place.

[@mitsume_slay]

Tf? They want to learn Chinese but can't because they don't teach well

[@lyhthegreat]

@@ragebait988 yeah but at least they dont place the blame on the education system..

[@user-c3jdf9lylzse]

not the same thing when all you need to memorize is 26 letters and learn to spell them correctly.unlike 3000 characters. This is why even japanese people struggle to write kanji, even chinese people are forgetting how to write their own characters because they are too used to typing

[@jcc1320]

我家不信教我的孩子在国外也要上宗教课和学本地语言啊！在这里生活就是如此。那为什么在别的国家很自然的事情发生在了中国就被说成很奇怪很不好呢？不喜欢不愿意就滚啊！谁求你们留在中国了吗？

[@Todayyespresentno]

they should try harder to integrate rather than complain, nobody owes them anything

[@yjc149]

it is jordan district of Kowloon, not kowloon district of jordan.. yo.. that is why they do not like hire non-chinese...

[@yjc149]

you got to respect the city's culture, and language, even if i am there as traveller, i prefer to speak broken cantonese. ...

[@lionelwong5842]

They are not native English speakers, are they? Why are they speaking English and insisting on learning English only in Hong Kong? If they want to study in English language only and don't want to study in Chinese in schools, why don't they migrate to the UK, US, Australia, Canada and New Zealand where English language is the national language ? Nobody forces them to stay in Hong Kong, China, is there? They could also go back to their countries of origin.

[@soymilkOuO]

Child neglect from the parents is very typical in HK because of the harsh working hours this is just the tip of the iceberg 😢

[@KJ-yises]

Yes it a swim or sink environment. I wonder why these parents choose Hong Kong. There is 1 billion people to worry about some kids language proficiency is definitely not their priority.

[@reincarnate3440]

@@KJ-yises that was for the welfare, healthcare and education system in HongKong were superior than most regions in Asia BACK IN THE DAYS.

[@KJ-yises]

@@reincarnate3440 hmmm broken dream….

[@MeiinUK]

@@KJ-yises : Not everybody is allowed to go to schools ! Only civil servants are allowed to get an education ! So there is that as well !!! That was part of the Chinese history ! So I don't get why so many complaints. Cos some of the older ladies and gentlemen in HK are actually illiterate !!!! So how come the local older generations are not allowed to go to schools.. worked hard all their lives... only for foreigners NOW to have and to get an education.. and also then doesn't help society at all ? But drains them all of the time? Of their time.. and of their resources ????....

[@gfhcoalition6631]

In the U.S., it is much worse. Everyone goes to a public school learns English only.

[@eb.3764]

The fact that these schools integrate English as a medium of instruction is preventing them from learning Cantonese. They need to just SPEAK to the children, children absorb languages fast. But when English is being used as a crutch, it prevents them from really learning

[@koenigamd]

If you come to France/Germany, you will find most of things are in French/German. They won't change to English for foreigners, what a surprise!🤔

[@yehuo2825]

i dont get it! every foreigner goes to the usa or any western country they must learn whatever main language the country uses, why is it different in hong kong?! hong kong is part of china, if the primary language is not chinese, then what should it be?! it is impossible that the school needs to be taught in english! if hong kong school must teach in english, then how come schools in usa do not teach in chinese? living in another country is like go to someone's house, you have to respect the rule in the house.... many foreigners are being bully in the usa and some of these foreigner kids suicide cause of the pressure the white euro american kids bully them... this happens in the usa all the time... i even tell my uncles and aunties to make sure my nephews and nieces learn chinese, cause china is their future. currently there are 149 countries out of 195 countries are part of the bri and all these countries have chinese schools, in a matter of around 10 years, chinese will start to become the official language of the world, just like english and spanish...

[@101yayo]

Chinese is a lot harder than English. And China also does not want to integrate other people so it will never truly be an official language of the world because it is too difficult to learn especially if your are older. I know 3 languages and I am learning my 4th and 5th language. Maybe Chinese will be my sixth.

[@yehuo2825]

@@101yayo it doesnt matter chinese is alot harder! your opinion can go both ways! many foreigners also told me english was very hard for them! please stop making excuses like a child! if you are going to live in another foreign it is out of respect you need to learn the culture, tradition, language, etc. it is not only these kids need to learn chinese, i heard cantonese, but they need to learn mandarin! mandarin is the official lanugage of china! hello!? what multiverse are you from?! do you know how many foreigners are living in china?! china is probably the most integrated country on earth! china established the first silk road in the bc to connect with the world! the 2nd silk road started on 2013, when didnt wanna bring usd into the country that they bailed out usa from the world crisis in 2008, where usa caused out of greed and corruption, so they used the $ to fund and help developing countries. this was the birth of the 2nd silk road called bri project! the culture exchange between china and 149 countries is to educate the next generation to work together instead causing division to create chaos and destruction like what the usa is doing, since ww2 until to now! let me as you this...who was the first foreigner to be invited into the forbidden city, cause of his establishment to connect and link 2 countries together? from history, china always promo business and trade rather than chaos and destruction. zhonghe sailed around the world in the ming dyansty. if you go to indonesia, you can find his temple there. china never invaded any country during their exploration. but the west went into a killing spree robbing every country they went to out of their natural resources, enslave them, and colonize them out of gencide. please do not reply back unless you have something meaningful to discuss. thanks...

[@Hkchinese888]

Who’s going to learn Chinese atm except Russians 😂😂😂

[@yehuo2825]

@@Hkchinese888 are you just a plain ' i d i o i t ' or just completely cannot read?! which part i wrote you do not understand that is in plain simple english or should i write in more formal english before you can understand?! 149 countries out of 195 countries are part of the bri project and these 149 countries all have chinese schools! all 149 countries are encouraging kids to learn chinese! even in the usa, many different ethnics start having their kids going to chinese school!!! in one city in utah, 20k+ none chinese are learning chinese at their primary school, they dont even have to go to chinese school! oh, usa is not even part of the bri too!!! so wake up from living inside a bubble! why dont you do some research on what is really happening around the world before replying back, otherwise it is just a waste of my time talking to someone like you!!!

[@tanjongmalim6869]

Chinese.. the main language to br the world ? The China airforce and navy is using Engljsh when challenged. The China parent is scrambling to have their kids to learn English....

[@aultraman]

It can be difficult for adults to be fluent, I'd understand. But for kids who were born and not be fluent is difficult to understand. I can see how that kid couldn't read/write if he didn't go to a typical local school. But not be able to speak fluently is just weird. Perhaps he's not allowed to watch the local TV?

[@ruru-1993]

I totally agree with you. My boyfriend was born in France in Vietnamese familly. Until he went to school, he didn’t speak French at all. He learnt it very fast, because of contacts with other French kids. I also agree that watching TV helps with learnung language, especially cartoons which are easy to understand

[@stephanietraylor6052]

Yes, but what they are saying is that the kids are segregated into separate schools. If most of your friends also can’t speak Chinese, what do you do as soon as you hit the playground. The issue is that they don’t mix.

[@aultraman]

@@stephanietraylor6052 I guess a further question, which wasn't answered in the video - why were these kids separated?

[@stephanietraylor6052]

This is from a reply to a comment below, they said it better than me: All of them want to (send them to standard mainstream schools) but they are discouraged or can’t do it. The EDB provides funding to these local schools to admit NCS students, but they misuse it and often times try to admit the least possible NCS students possible. On the other hand, most NCS students parents only speak English. Often times, they are encouraged to sent their kids to English speaking schools because it saves them the hassle of not having to read notices in Chinese, deal with filling up forms in Chinese or communicate with teachers who don’t speak English well. And on top of that, with negative media portrayal of EMs in Hong Kong puts them in a negative light leaving schools to hesitate to admitting NCS students. So a lot has to change to encourage EMs parents to admit their children into local schools and for the local schools to properly use the funding provided by the EDB.

[@MeiinUK]

@@stephanietraylor6052 : Why don't you be honest and say the truths ? Which is that, a lot of the educators are so scared of Westerners and non-chinese now.. to the extent that.. they themselves are scared of losing their own actual salaries.. and their lives.. cos they know that this will end up in court.. and it will escalate to the highest of courts and be prosecuted for it as well. I don't see ANY Teachers in the United Kingdom BE prosecuted for "not teaching properly" ? At most.. and at best.. they are struck off. Asked to do admin. Or to take a sabbatical. Or to try another school, or go part time etc. But in HK.. with such a small pool of people.. WHY should HK spend MILLIONS OF HK dollars.. Millions.. of it... to support a SINGLE child ?! This is insane ! Unfair use of taxpayors' money ! The MONEY.. that is SPENT... could buy that child, a place in their own home country.. and afford their educational from childhood INTO the entire university level already !!!! Do you realise how much money is wasted like that ?! LOOK !!! Elderlies cannot find the healthcare professionals that can speak cantonese to them to help them stay active and do physiotherapies !!!! Physio is NOT even actually Traditional Chinese Medicines ANYWAY !!!!! They ought to be doing tai chi.. or gentle movements and exercises to eleviate their blood flows !!!!!

[@smmae]

so basically hong kong is a bad place to live in

[@DanielChan-bm3ye]

Small children can pick up any language easily. In HK many South Asian kids speak English among themselves. Clearly they don't want to learn or speak the local language. Now they want to blame the HK government??

[@tsunderenekokun]

Not just non Chinese students but everyone too.

[@harisadu8998]

Many English schools have an ESL section to help Chinese kids improve their English. Maybe Chinese schools should have such a CSL programme for kids.

[@yogawan3805]

Seriously this BS, how come u can blame others while your self is the one incapable?

[@tanjongmalim6869]

The trending world culture now is BLAMING and CANCELING others. No more open and self reflection.... sad

[@unvaccinatedAndPureBlood]

Compared to the UK school system, and probably US system, the HK system isn't perfect, but much better for everyone.

[@lucky889s9]

Everyone who?

[@unvaccinatedAndPureBlood]

@@lucky889s9 go to the UK and compare. Then be grateful

[@HongKongEclectic]

@@unvaccinatedAndPureBlood agreed. The U.K. system is woeful.

[@jules263]

Learn Chinglish

[@stephanietraylor6052]

I’m, what? There are tens of thousands of kids in the uk who do not speak English on admission and then within a few years are fine. The UK system isn’t perfect but it is not bad at all.

[@bobbymoss6160]

How's HK failing non-natives? Immigrants come to the US and lessons are taught in English, and many went on to have a successful life living here. If you don't wanna put in the effort, then you work low paying jobs.

[@bobevans9996]

usa is global village - by paper n ink china is real country - by dna n blood every country make it's own choice china is not nepal or phillippine or india or ... china is china - india is india ...

[@hannesRSA]

Maybe the teachers in HK try to keep kids on rigid curriculums.. not sure exactly what the issue is either. Chinese is much harder though.

[@wretchedwringer]

When you master Nepali(source) then English(adaptor) then use that to learn Cantonese/Mandarin. Translation(s) takes up more time.

[@tanjongmalim6869]

​@@wretchedwringer very very well put and explained 🎉🎉

[@ragebait988]

@@bobevans9996 United States just 50 years ago was close to 95% European decendants. There are many more ethnic groups in china than United States not long ago. Racially Chinese are similar but are as similar ethnically as are white people. The USA was created by those European people for those European people, with “paper and ink”, along with great war’s.

[@josephguo3429]

they are free to leave. see

[@jeromefitzroy]

Shame on China!

[@Brandonhayhew]

To learn that language you need to be in that place and surrounded by people who use that language everyday

[@Yuxian09]

There is a big difference between Cantonese and written Chinese which is based on mandarin. When you go to school you are effectively learning both.

[@aoki395]

He should try to make some friends that speaks the language if he can. I think the mom is to be blame for the problem that the kid is facing. There is a trend among minorities where the parent depends on the kid to do all of the translating and they don’t make the effort to learn the language even after being the the country for over 10 years. Yes, I know leaning a new language is hard and it’s intimidating to speak at first but there is a different between making an effort and fostering an environment for the kid vs not trying at all. Of course, the mom is not the only problem there could be more that can be done to support the kids. For example, ESL like they did in the US and setting some time in school or after school where the local kids and minorities can speak/play together so that they can learn the language better.

[@mejamesy]

fun fact: in my school in hk maths and gs are teached in both languages

[@owenlaw2228]

There are schools in Hong Kong like that offer Chinese as a second language like SMCE.

[@heika1582]

HELP THATS MY SCHOOL

[@lukemurray4950]

Everyone should learn the language of the country they are living in. It's like the bare minimum requirement! It's not down to the country to provide additional education because some refuse to learn. And that's the thing, they are providing those opportunities but people still complain! And this is exactly why China (and many other countries) don't want non ethnically native people in the country because at least some of them will struggle to fit in and be at the bottom of society claiming discrimination and how they deserve more than is even offered to the native people! This could literally be an anti immigration ad.

[@vmoses1979]

Nobody has 'refused' anything. Telling NCS kids implicitly they can't learn Chinese and the defacto segregation doesn't help them learn Chinese. Clearly the content of the video flew over your head.

[@NicksPinoy]

It's hard to empathise. Born and raised in Hong Kong? I wasnt in the same situation but I was born in Spain but I spent majority of my life in the UK ever since I was 3 or 4 and did not know a single word of English then but I found that speaking to children my age in school helped me to develop my English skills really quickly. Maybe if the mother had just put her faith in her kid attending a full on cantonese school since the very beginning maybe he wouldnt have to suffer that much?

[@alimfuzzy]

3-4 is a lot different than 12. Not even comparable.

[@bobevans9996]

races r different no need to segregate - n u can't mix - harry's already all white n obama's already black already u want a class or school or nation to hold back for some slower foreigners? how evil - immigrate back home to u r own country - out

[@MavLys]

they despise Chinese language, I guess

[@KF-zb6gi]

@@MavLys lol yeah, as always the hongkongers

[@theotheleo6830]

@@alimfuzzy The OP wrote that the student should have attended a Cantonese school from the very beginning. So, much younger than 12 years old.

[@HongKongEclectic]

I can see that he immediately sits and works in a very lazy way. Who taught him that was acceptable?

[@easternrazor3749]

So pass everyone? No matter how many tuition one goes to and if there is no interest.... Tuition is not going to help. Avoid passing just for the sake of trying to show to the west. There by dropping the standards.

[@sianstpaul1349]

Aquí en EEUU, nos obligan a hablar en inglés, pero hablamos español en casa.

[@waterunderthebridge7950]

I mean why would you even be surprised at not getting a job “just” because you don’t speak the official/business language? That literally is true for probably most countries, maybe apply for an international firm but even then you can’t avoid having domestic business where competitors who know the native language will always have a leg up on you

[@user-zd1wz7mn5s]

just treat them the same... they'll pick up the language really quick...

[@WalkOverHotCoal]

Language barrier is a clear and present problem between ethnic groups. Even the Chinese themselves have such problems in the old days when people don't and not being able to travel far from their own villages. That is why ***Emperor Shi Huangdi of the Qin Dynasty not only united the different Chinese kingdoms but unified the language as well. He established a standardized written pictograph language that did not contain an alphabet. He also instituted early Chinese, an ancestor to the modern Chinese language, across the empire***(note: lifted from Google) That is why the current day China wants to provide the Uighurs the essential Chinese language skill so that they could function in China as a whole. Sure, it looks like a propaganda from me on behalf of the Chinese government. But this is the reality of living in China. It is the same if you live in the US, or Australia, without a functioning level of English, you are condemned to unemployment, or low skilled jobs. The Mandarin language is very different to English, or languages languages that are alphabet-based. Each Chinese character has to be learned by memory. That makes it much harder to learn, even for Chinese speaking people. Learning the language is no different to learning any different language such as English, unless you are a genius who can learn a new language from the Internet. The hard fact is parents cannot simply send their children to school and expect them to be fully proficient in a new language. This is because besides learning it, children need to practice it, at home and/or outside of school. I believe that the parents also need to take an active part in the children's education...by actually going to school to learn the language themselves. That way, they can practice it at home. Yes, that is a huge demand for parents. I should know as my parents were migrants.

[@wsmithe2209]

Now you become a troll. Stay there forever.

[@WalkOverHotCoal]

@@wsmithe2209 You don't even know what a "troll" means. When you confused facts with garbage, then you have a serious problem in you mental faculty.

[@MeiinUK]

Actually, Cantonese both the people... (from that region, like myself.. and all the way from my grandfather's days)... plus.... the language... have ended up.. as bastardised... and even taken out of contexts too. I actually get harassed in HK.. do you know ? Why? Cos of some policies from before. So when I see an actual policy NOW.... stating that these migrants are put FIRST.... despite I .. people like myself is becoming extinct.. is beyond a joke? Now I get the feeling of the British as well... Cos they also did predict that this would happen too. And yet, so many Brits.. also do not leave HK. Why ? They don't leave it... and refuses to do anything about it.

[@WalkOverHotCoal]

@@MeiinUK With the greatest respect...I couldn't quite get what you meant. You jumped from one place to another. You are talking about "policies from before", then you mentioned British, and then said they don't leave HK, and they don't do anything about it. I am truly confused !!!

[@WalkOverHotCoal]

@Dragon Force I can appreciate the difficulties when trying to write in English, or any foreign language. Practice makes perfect.

[@laicheewai8264]

SCMP is obviously profiling this issue. Tell me, if a French goes to Germany to study, u expect the school to teach in French?

[@flip1sba]

Put it this way, various international schools in HK do not offer Cantonese classes but will offer Spanish, French and even Mandarin or Putonghua. And also HK being an international city where English is widely spoken, Cantonese is not much of a necessity. I know people who have lived in HK since the 1980s and until now do not know Cantonese or only know a few words, but got by with English.

[@lyhthegreat]

people say the same thing about tokyo as well....

[@ywee3980]

If people have lived here since the 1980's and still don't speak any Cantonese, it would make me wonder how these people can thrive? I mean in North Western Europe people usually are fluent in English despite the fact that it is their second language but if an immigrant does not speak the language of the country but only English and their native language, they will have a hard time. They would not be able to understand traffic signs, understanding labels in the grocery store or make friends. Even if English is the language of communication at work, people would stille speak their native language during coffee breaks, if you don't understand anything you will feel excluded.

[@flip1sba]

@@ywee3980 HK is an international city so English is widely used.

[@flip1sba]

@@lyhthegreat so international schools in Tokyo or even Japan as a whole does not offer Japanese language classes including ASIJ?

[@PikaPluff]

@@ywee3980 also people have no incentive to learn the language if they can get by sadly. At least HK is a international city so its less required. You see the same with India trying to push Hindi nationwide despite india having many languages.

[@tegdub]

I dont get it. If my family migrate to hongkong or any other non-english speaking country, i would not be expecting the teachers to teach my kids in english. 🤷🏻

[@wsmithe2209]

Let's say you were born in Canada, and you can speak Cantonese only. What make you think that you can make a living?

[@yzhang2008]

Actually learning how to speak Chinese is easy. The hard part is writing Chinese.

[@weislybernardwijaya2554]

The title is really misleading

[@cedude69]

If they don't like it they can return home!

[@araara4746]

So, basically when non-English speakers come to an English-speaking country, they must learn English, but when non-Chinese speakers come to China, they also have to learn English. It seems Karen English is everywhere.

[@mitsume_slay]

Wdym? The Hong Kong should learn Chinese but Chinese is hard and the school don't teach well your the karen

[@MeiinUK]

@@mitsume_slay : They want the "best of the best". Despite most adults, aren't even allowed to go to school... and never did go to school in China... either. Or in Canton. They were sent to work asap as a child. I bet THIS was never reported EITHER ! Imagine.. we did not even have computers just a mere 40 years ago... and now we have TV shows.. and everything at our finger tips... So these children, cannot listen to a tape.. and then to even mimick the sound? You could ! And this is HOW many individuals learnt as well.. I did that with Japanese. I had no idea what I am listening to. My friend made me a tape. I listened to it. I tried to mimick the sound.. and then I broke it down as well too... and then recreate it back up as well ! Many "ethnic minority" celebrities in HK did the same too. THEY did okay ! In fact, they got jobs as singers.. and TV presenters.. the list goes on ! There are a lot of materials from RTHK as well. Also.. because these Western firms and people, refuses to leave HK as well.. It indirectly drags.. the rest of the mainland China... into the tiny HK city itself. So the infrastructures, should NOT have been created AT all.... it should not have done so. So what the government did, is that, they wanted those foreign currencies.. and forced the local cantonese to move away from their own hometown and their heung ha.... By force, by coercion... and more. So I don't get what is the point of wanting these children to teach them anything, at all means ? For a Cantonese city, half the people cannot even speak Cantonese. Don't you think that the city is in financial danger ? Same with the UK actually.. Half the Chinese, don't want to integrate with the overall grand plan of the country to reach net zero either. And they just want to make their own little bit of money. Shouldn't people really deglobalise, at this moment in time ? Genuine question actually. I had no idea that.. with the social media now... Other HK media, are indeed scraping data and info from other netiezens elsewhere as well so.... What really is the point of ANYTHING any MORE ? ....

[@billching4647]

By your logic, 1)Britain failing French, Italy, Dutch...... 2)France failing English, Italy, Dutch.... 3,4,....... So, why you pick on HK? Because you really don't know or pretending about any other countries?

[@MrStephenmindo]

if a 12yr old cant understand chinese despite studying it for 6 years, what does that say about the language? and the grownups trying to study it too?

[@wbtdave]

tbh I think a better way is to build govt funded schools that use English as the language of teaching.

[@franciseylim11]

Her mother english better than me.

[@kaffir76]

10:00 LOL awesome hair braids!! ❤❤

[@poopeeeeks]

Lol just come to Singapore already.

[@saltpot_osu9540]

As a full Cantonese, I can wholeheartedly say my English is way better than my Cantonese solely because I speak and listen to it way more outside of school. Trust me, the langauge you learn just from school is not enough.

[@a1d0n23]

Ey me too, seriously why is the Chinese gap so much bigger than English

[@akashkumarcivil-2665]

In india this is called tuition. And this is mandatory for every student 😊😊😊😅😅😅

[@NoOneOk]

Nah when I studied in India tuition was not mandatory

[@harishram6677]

When did u study in 80's??​@@NoOneOk

[@NoOneOk]

@@harishram6677 wym

[@harishram6677]

@@NoOneOk I am saying after 2000s tuitions kind of became a routine here in India so was asking did u stidy in 80s where tuition centres were not that in abundance as it is now

[@NoOneOk]

@harishram6677 there were many everywhere but I didn't need to

[@MRT-co1sd]

Chinese especially traditional Chinese that’s use in Hong Kong is the hardest language you can learn. Of course foreigners can learn it but in general they cannot compete with Chinese not on a exam score level. However, you may increase your overall score by doing other subjects like English or Geography or western history or something similar.

[@dongiovanni8899]

Cantonese is more complex than Mandarin in pronunciation and dialect-specific characters.

[@mitsume_slay]

So true I understand Cantonese but only the basic not advance

[@eveleung8855]

First of all the minority ethnic people of Hong Kong belongs to the minority in numbers, they should be intergrade into the Hong Kong society instrad od asking for special privilege, when people go to the US, they don't speak English, can they demand the US government give them privilege in education system? Is the UK possibly give middle East migrants the same privileges in education? If not why Hong Kong must privde such service to suit minorites? Aren't there already international schools for non Chinese education?

[@Wongwanchungwongjumbo]

These Minorities will migrate to their home Country or English speaking Countries like Singapore 🇸🇬, Australia 🇦🇺 etc

[@yongchen8204]

non ethic hk chinese send their kids go to private elite schools, and your hong kong ethic chinese kids go to public schools. they teach these non ethic chinese kids in english medium instead of cantonese, nothing wrong with that. in fact it is advantage for these foreign students. i dont see any discriminatory agency go against these south asian hong kong kids.

[@bobevans9996]

immigrate back home to country of origin - u were born at origin n can immigrate out - u born in hongkong can too - hongkong will never become india or nepal or ... hongkong is chinese - u r occupying chinese's home country - where is chinese human rights u were born in india nepal - u immigrate to hongkong - u born in hongkong - u can immigrate back or anywhere - people immigrate everyday - out ------------- hongkong govt take care of chinese - indians nepals ... need to get help from india n nepal ... govt hongkong govt is not nepal or usa or india or any country's govt ------------- usa is on chinese soil - immigrate back to origin/home phillippine is in chinese water - immigrate back to origin/home china's tribes/natives in southchinataiwan n northchinaberingstrait got same dna as those in australia newzealand americas n all islands so whole pacific n half atlantic belong to china so return all to china with reparation n all racist thieves - afro euro latino indian ... immigrate back home to africa europe india ... "go back to china" racist thieves yelling thief 🤣

[@dslr_hunter_2547]

First, not all EMs go to private schools. That’s a common misconception. Like the video showed, majority still go to former government funded designated EM schools as most cannot afford to sent their students to “Private Elite School” Second, It’s not an advantage (speaking English) in Hong Kong if they don’t learn Cantonese. Most EMs who are taught in English only often find it extremely hard to find jobs later in their life’s because almost 80% of the jobs in HK require proficiency in Cantonese (both written and spoken). You can open up those job finding apps like JobsDB and you would see it yourself or one of the parents in the video whose dream job is to become a office worker cannot become one because of her lack of proficiency in Cantonese. Now combine that with the local media perception of how negatively they portray the EMs makes it even harder for them to get work in Hong Kong. This leads them to get stuck in a vicious cycle where they can’t escape.

[@keli4068]

traditional chinese is very hard to learn, even for chinese. as a chinese my daughter do reading better in english than simplyfied chinese.

[@lebbeus]

You are in Hong Kong, use traditional Chinese and speak Cantonese. Same as in any countries with immigration

[@bobevans9996]

go ask nepal india ... u r own govt in u r own country for u r needs - out - hongkong is not nepal india ...

[@ymhktravel]

I'm not from Hong Kong, so I'm a bit confused. i was under the impression when China took back HK in 1997, they have made it a requirement for every school to teach in Mandarin Chinese, so why do these non-Chinese have to learn Cantonese? So are the students learning the written form in Mandarin and the spoken form Cantonese?

[@BritishRajIsTrueIndia]

There is no “Written form of Mandarin” it’s Written Chinese - that’s understood by Mando, Canto, Hokkien speakers etc. Even though the languages are all Sinitic but aren’t mutually intelligible, it’s all united by a common writing system that is understood by any speaker of whichever Chinese language/dialect. And Cantonese is just a majority spoken language in HK, so it makes a little more sense for Canto to still be taught.

[@MeiinUK]

No... why should kids in Canton.. not speak Cantonese ? It is like saying... If HK had a King... and then you are forcing the King to kowtow towards the OTHER Kings in the mainland. Are you NOT making a mockery of THEM ? What ARE you doing then ? So when the King's civil servant tiers.. that went to the USA... (All the KMTs' army leads and heads...) If THEY are not being looked after now... Then... In some of the local chinese newspapers.. and hearsays... a lot of people are saying that, HK has sided too much with the West... and at the same time now.. The game has been flipped upsidedown. PRC should NOT have joined the WTO to begin with. THEY should NOT have exponentially deviated from their various regional locations. They went wild and riot..... By the West stopping the culling of people.. and the invasion of the different regions.. it created a big mess... from a 600 million (still under some form of loose Imperial structures)... to a non-Imperial structures... and a 1.2 billion explosion. Rapes. Taken women, from one King's mistresses groups to another's. Diluting powers. Wealth. Etc. Diluting histories. Fighting your own families. The list goes on and on and on....

[@MeiinUK]

"Mandarin" was made up in the current modern generation. It was a regional dialect.. and because of the formation of the UN. People... collectively.. and stupidly.. are making it into a "this MUST be the imperial language"... and whatever whatever lies they want to follow through etc. And as usual.. more people believing in something, then the truer it must be. Whereas if you see other civilisation. Islamic. Or European. They teach their next generation. The exact same thing. THE exact lineage.. and the SAME thing. SOME people say that.... HK's people are mostly mixed race now with many Europeans... but I don't think that is so. Not really. Cos HK has historical artefacts that dates back to the Song dynasties... and it is the locals that also refuses to accept a model with an Imperial King.. but it does not by any means of the word, ought to have a complete flat structures. Which it current DOES have ! It keeps saying that it has SOME loose model...if you follow the likes of Eric Li on Ted talk. But it absolutely does NOT have at all !!!

[@RuiwenHsu0077]

it is not impossible. Just look at the ESL program in North America where lots of migrants children can learn very well. Another reason might be Chinese language especially traditional Chinese is way way too hard to learn as a second language!

[@ChristopherLaw-qv4ou]

To be honest the education system of every country is designed to suit the needs and interests of its local population who are the vast majority why should they re adjust to accommodate others. I mean they can go for other education alternatives like go to a international school or school of their culture

[@kchill9395]

For 6 years lol if he makes an effort to chat with other kids in school in Chinese, he would've mastered the basic communication a long time ago. That few sentences in Cantonese that he uttered reflect how little effort & interest he has in learning the language.

[@follyjolly7833]

Learn Chinese in a country where the majority is Chinese. It's the same with other countries! Don't be snowflakes about it.

[@kiwifruitkl]

As a child, about 4-5 years old, I was just placed in normal American kindergarten classrooms. It was not even ESL. If I had stayed in the same school with my peers, then I would probably just learn English with them, like any other native speaker. But I didn't. I actually moved from place to place, during my youth, and the teachers thought I needed ESL so they stuck me in ESL instead of the regular normal English lessons. Why can't Hong Kong do the same thing? Just stick non-Chinese 5-year-olds into a normal Chinese-medium classroom intended for native speakers, and watch what happens.

[@HongKongEclectic]

I see that happen here (I’m a hk primary teacher in local school). It’s a disaster.

[@s._3560]

@@HongKongEclectic Can you explain more? Help these people above to understand why that is not possible.

[@MeiinUK]

@@HongKongEclectic : It can only have worked, if you guys were continually supported... what really happened, I presumed is that the previous generation of individuals.. who were indeed supporting and propping up the city.. ended up forced.. indirectly... by other migrants from other cities.. So now.. it is absolutely destroyed... And you could thank that for the outsiders.. forcing this to happen.... Cantonese will be like Welsh. It will become extinct. This is why so many locals now produces a lot of tvs and shows.. for one day.. if those children wants to learn. That is their own learning materials. Cos frankly.. the real cantonese would be dead by then. Cest la vie. Globalisation based on capitalism...

[@mrodjito6861]

You should be grateful that you can still send your kids to school?!? This isn't a perfect world. I would love to be able to speak Cantonese or mandarin or the local language where i am at.

[@stellalunas499]

@Dragon Force it is HK government fault when they are segregating kids from the different backgrounds to NCS schools when they should be in mainstream classrooms.

[@ArtIsDrawing]

Your low IQ. You don't even know how to run anything!

[@KJ-yises]

Why are these people in Hong Kong?

[@MeiinUK]

Bad immigration control maybe. I never knew that this is how HK is ...

[@kaffir76]

7:55 do you speak Cantonese? ❤❤

[@ireneserrano4570]

non-ethnic Chinese? what do you even mean? Do you mean foreigners? There are 56 ethnias in China, so there is no ethnic-Chinese. Either its's Chinese or foreigners.

[@MeiinUK]

When China says it is "56 ethnic groups/clans"... actually.. they are not ethnic groups... more like, they are 56 family clans. Remember that instead. Cos it might shred lights on why the PRC run the way it does !

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@MeiinUK No sweetie, they aren't family clans 🤣🤡 Actually in Chinese they call them 民族 people-citizens, ethnia-ethnic group, and also translated as race, nationality. Chinese is the nationality as in "citizens of China, the country". You can't translate 民族 as family clan when you have millions of 回Hui for example. Family clans can be conaidered among an ethnic group

[@ireneserrano4570]

@@MeiinUK Actually 汉族 is also a 民族， So if you' wamt to specify the non-Han ethnias then they usually say 少民族 national minorities, minority ethnic groups. As for China it is also refered as 中华民族 the Chinese people, in collective reference to all the ethnic groups in China

[@MeiinUK]

@@ireneserrano4570 : No... I think you will find that, they DO classify it as such. And that, they were living off lands that were part of the Imperial structure. and this is why they stayed. And this now, is actually part and partial.. and it is on their home registration identity card. i.e. Their "hukuo"... Which is even what I knew as a child... my "heung ha".... I think you need to understand the English language, to understand what it means and imply. Cos often, I hear and see the different interpretation from Singapore or from Malaysia etc. And yes... even in HK... families still keep an actual family tree book. So what are these newspapers doing ? Even in the UK... they still keep a family tree book as well !!! What has the "56 ethinc groups"... all registered... to people living in SE Asia... unregistered in the new era PRC's system? You're no longer included. lol... I find it funny how... people now.. keep saying things which were actually very old and very random as well ? Don't tell me that.. you want to live in HK now.. because they used the terms "ethnic groups"... in their constitution and you misinterpreted it. And that you had no sense of identity etc ? Isn't it funny then... plastered ALL over HK's media.. kept saying things like... "we want patriots to rule HK"... So are YOU wanting to be a PATRIOT ? Do YOU see yourself as part of the "56 ethnic groups" people ??? Is this what you are trying to tell me ? lol..... I don't get it. I really don't ? And you don't even understand who the "回Hui " people are... do you ?..... Maybe if you read or is able to read chinese characters, it might help. Funny how even though I am born abroad.. in the UK... I still could read and write the full set of Hans chinese characters.. even though the GCSE level then was very rudimentary and very basic as well. And yet... foreigners living in HK.. even after 20 years... still speak English and not Cantonese. Weird, that.

[@MeiinUK]

@@ireneserrano4570 : FYI.... "回族" are the actual muslims... inside the PRC. (And they have already been mixed race with Hans heritages.) THIS is why they are classified as "回族".... When the "right of abode" was written into HK's administration.. They meant those who had to work overseas.. that they could and will have a base coming back home. That has always been how it was interpretted. And not the actual foreigner traders etc. If this was not explicitly interpretted then... Otherwise, you are at risk of harassing cantonese people out of a canton city !!!! How could a city, that was quite prominent in Chinese history.. with the Emperor of the Song dynasty running down towards HK.. and then left a legacy and traces of his escaped routes.. only to then have the so called "modern UN" and the entire "globalists" agenda.. to mask away such histories.. and also legitimacies as well ? Funny then.. how come.. all of the music now.. is about "re-enstating back the Imperial model".... They call each other Emperor etc... Weird that. Even more weird that foreigners don't read those signs....