LettersHong Kong’s ethnic minority students face a new challenge – Mandarin
Readers discuss the necessity of a full-fledged Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum, and a win-win food rescue mechanism
In interviews conducted through my volunteer work with the Zubin Foundation, as well as conversations with students, advocates and community members across Hong Kong, I found one concern cropping up repeatedly: that employers increasingly require proficiency in both Cantonese and Mandarin. For ethnic minorities, many of whom already struggle with the complexities of Cantonese, this secondary requirement places them at a greater structural disadvantage.
Many ethnic minority students face language barriers before they enter the workforce, with seemingly more volunteering and internship opportunities preferring applicants with Mandarin proficiency. These expectations continue into the job market, where many positions require dual proficiency, making it difficult for qualified ethnic minority applicants to compete. Even after securing employment, language barriers could affect communication with colleagues, workplace integration and employees’ sense of belonging.
These experiences point to a deeper structural problem. According to Jeffrey Andrews, Hong Kong’s first registered ethnic minority social worker, a major policy gap lies at the root of current employment obstacles: the lack of a comprehensive Chinese-as-a-second-language curriculum.
The Equal Opportunities Commission has also emphasised that this absence continues to restrict non-Chinese-speaking students’ access to higher education and job opportunities. As Mandarin becomes increasingly important in the job market, students who have not been adequately supported in learning one form of spoken Chinese now face the challenge of learning two.