Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at [email protected] or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification The core strength of a global city like Hong Kong lies in multiculturalism. However, the challenges faced by the Pakistani community, highlighted at a forum on May 27, are stark and deeply concerning. Higher unemployment rates, lower-than-average income levels and the highest poverty rate in the city reveal a profound crisis of systemic inequality.
While
inadequate Chinese language skills and lower educational attainment are often cited, the root cause is deeply entrenched systemic discrimination. From educational segregation and workplace exclusion to social marginalisation, these structural issues demand urgent attention from both government and society to achieve genuine inclusion.
Systemic deficiencies in education are particularly pressing. The Audit Commission has highlighted that many Chinese language teachers lack the training needed to educate
second-language learners, leading to a persistent lag in Chinese proficiency among students from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
Furthermore, schools continue to be segregated, with close to 40 per cent of primary pupils from diverse ethnicities attending schools where over 60 per cent of the student body are from these backgrounds – a concentration that may hinder integration and Chinese language acquisition. The authorities must mandate teacher training, establish a unified curriculum and incentivise the desegregation of schools; otherwise, educational equality will remain an empty promise.
Workplace discrimination is equally alarming. The unemployment rate among Pakistanis is higher than among the general population, and even those with fluent Chinese and high qualifications face unequal treatment and barriers to promotion. As one forum participant said, “Even if we can speak, read and write Chinese, our opportunities are still limited.”
