The ‘no loser’ principle in Hong Kong's education reform: Does it apply to ethnic minority students?

An important feature of Hong Kong’s education reform over the past decade has been the articulation of the ‘no loser principle.’ It was meant to signal that all students are valuable and will benefit from the reforms to both basic and senior secondary education. The commitment to the ‘no loser principle’ can be seen most clearly in the attention that has been paid to students with special needs, to the provision of six years of secondary education for all students and in the common curriculum requirements for all students at the senior secondary level. In each of these cases significant barriers have been removed enabling greater participation and inclusion. Yet barriers remain for the 2% of students in the education system who can be classified as ethnic minorities. There is a declining participating rate as students move from primary through to tertiary level, the medium of instruction remains alien to most of these students, and there are no curriculum provisions to meet their special needs. Currently, the Equal Opportunities Commission has brought the situation of these students formally to the attention of the Education Bureau. This presentation will examine both the policy context in which provisions for ethnic minority students have been made in Hong Kong schools and classroom practice that operationalises this policy on a daily basis. The purpose is to make an assessment of the extent to which the ‘no loser principle’ can be said to apply to ethnic minority students.