Survival is not Enough!

Jeffrey and his very proud father on graduation day.

Ethnic minority parents tend to teach their children to survive, not thrive. Fortunately there has been a notable change in Hong Kong in recent years. This includes many Muslim girls going to university, and entering the workplace. This is very encouraging, but it is still not enough to address a widespread problem.

The International day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination will be on March 21st - so how are we doing in Hong Kong?

The answer is complex, and fraught with controversy. Most schools and universities in HK will only accept students who can read, write, and speak fluent Chinese – which most non Chinese-speaking people cannot do.

Advocacy efforts saw the Caritas School of Continuing Education make an exception to that rule for three ethnic minority students.  Jeffrey Andrews, our case worker at Chung King Mansions Service Centre for Refugees and Asylum Seekers was one of them.

Most ethnic minority children attend designated schools because their parents are advised to send them there. This prevented Jeffrey and his contemporaries from learning Chinese; disqualified them from entering university, and prevented them from integrating with the greater Chinese community.  

Jeffrey said:

"When I entered Form I, I was told by teachers that I would most likely end my secondary education after Form III. We all expected to end up working as laborers in the construction industry, or taking on other low income jobs. 95% of all jobs required that we read and write fluent Chinese. Furthermore, the quality of our education was poor. Form VI and VII gave a person a much better chance of getting a job, but since only people going to university went to Form VI and VII, we never even considered it. It is much better now, but we are the lost generation."

If ethnic minorities are unable to improve themselves through education, many will become dependent on social welfare or get involved with crime. The mindset of the ethnic minorities also has to change.  Most come to Hong Kong because they want to save money and return to the country of their birth. However, their children want to remain here. They become accustomed to a multicultural society and grow up with the ideals of Hong Kong residents.

Next year Caritas School of Continuing Education will be a fully recognized university, and Jeffrey plans to complete his Bachelors degree.

Well done Jeffrey for persevering and continuing to thrive!