Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) organised an educational seminar yesterday (Nov 21) that attracted about 50 incoming talents and their families, highlighting the curriculum and unique features of direct subsidy scheme (DSS) and international schools in the city, along with the application and enrolment procedures.
Over 160,000 talents have resided in Hong Kong through various talent admission schemes as of September this year, according to the city’s immigration authority. This influx, along with their spouses and children, has intensified demand for local school places.
Bill Garnett, the Principal of English Schools Foundation (ESF) Peak School, elaborated on the balanced development philosophy and outlined the international primary school interview process during the seminar. Interviews are conducted entirely in English and incorporate observations of children’s social interactions through play-based activities. Their English vocabulary and comprehension will also be assessed through one-on-one conversations with teachers, with no written tests required for Year 1 admissions.
HKTE organised an educational seminar featuring 3 education experts. Photo shows the Principal of St. Paul’s College, Dennis Yuen (left on the stage); the Principal of ESF Peak School, Bill Garnett (centre); the Head of Admission, ESF Centre, Julie Wong (right).
The headteacher noted that each applicant may apply to a maximum of four different ESF primary schools across various districts. Children of incoming talents under the Top Talent Pass Scheme will receive priority in the application process. Upon completing the Year 6 curriculum, ESF students will be allocated to a corresponding ESF secondary school through an “associated school model.”
Dennis Yuen, the Principal of St. Paul’s College, addressed participants regarding the DSS mechanisms and the curriculum designed for internationally recognised secondary programmes. He observed that many incoming talents are often unaware of the admission processes for local secondary schools, which can lead to missed application deadlines.
The head of the renowned college advised parents to plan according to their children's school ages. For instance, applications for Secondary 1 must be submitted by the end of the year prior to admission and typically include an interview assessing both English and Chinese proficiencies. For applications to Secondary 2 to 4, candidates must prepare for written tests in Chinese, English, and Mathematics, potentially including assessments of integrated science.
Hong Kong Talent Engage Hosts Educational Seminar for Incoming Families.
Yuen discouraged mid-year transfers for Secondary 5 or 6 students, citing the significant academic and adjustment burdens such transitions can impose.
HKTE is committed to facilitating the integration of incoming talents' children into the local education system, as stated by a spokesperson for HKTE. This year, a total of four education-themed seminars have been held, covering topics from early childhood education to secondary school curricula.
HKTE plans to collaborate with partners to host additional educational events in the future, including 2 upcoming education fairs in mid-December, providing valuable information to incoming families.
Cantonese as a tonal language can be difficult to learn. Hong Kong Talent Engage (HKTE) has partnered with Hong Kong Wen Wei Management College to offer a regular Cantonese course to help newly arrived talent integrate into the community.
Interactive teaching: Instructor Chen Yongyin says the course incorporates daily life and work scenarios with the participants engaging in group discussions to build up their confidence in speaking Cantonese. Source: news.gov.hk
Through small-group teaching and interactive methods, the instructors introduce Cantonese knowledge to the new arrivals and provide oral communication training for them to master the language’s daily application and basic skills.
During one class, the participants listened to a classic Cantopop song to hear the different tones.
Daily dialogue
The two-month course, comprising 12 lessons, focuses on everyday Cantonese phrases and sentence structures. Topics include transport, shopping, dining and workplace scenarios. The course participants engage in group discussions to build up their confidence in speaking Cantonese.
Instructor Chen Yongyin explained: “No matter which language you learn, it is all about listening and speaking more. We have designed various daily life and work scenarios. For example, the students interview their classmates about their payment habits. Cantonese words like ‘Hong’ and ‘Seung’ can be tough for them, so we place more emphasis on teaching these pronunciations.”
Participants who complete the course and pass the exam will receive a certificate.
Language skills: Course participant Tony Zhou (left, front row) from Shanghai says he is learning the differences between Cantonese and Putonghua as well as the correct pronunciation. Source: news.gov.hk
Interactive learning
One of the course participants is 36-year-old Tony Zhou from Shanghai. He came to Hong Kong last October through the Top Talent Pass Scheme and now works for a data centre.
He tried learning Cantonese through using mobile apps but did not get the desired results.
“I sometimes encounter problems but there is no-one to help. My colleagues also commented that my pronunciation sounded a bit robotic,” he joked.
Mr Zhou often interacts with Hong Kong clients, but he finds some local expressions and Cantonese articulation challenging. By enrolling in the Cantonese course, he hopes to master the local language and learn more about the culture too.
“The most useful part of the on-site course is that we can communicate with each other during class and rectify each other’s mistakes with the pronunciation.”
Wider scope: Hong Kong Talent Engage Director Anthony Lau says the office plans to organise Cantonese courses for non-Chinese speaking talent and the children of incoming talent. Source: news.gov.hk
Positive response
HKTE held a trial Cantonese class in April. Its Director Anthony Lau said the response was excellent, leading to the launch of long-term courses.
“The talent wanted a smaller-sized class. They do not want to be that formal, in terms of learning how to pronounce the tones and things. They just want to learn casual, day-to-day language. I think we have found the right formula. We will continue to expand our Cantonese class offering by working with other partners.”
Mr Lau also pointed out that job opportunities and housing are the top priorities for young talent coming to Hong Kong, while those with families look for jobs, schools and places to rent.
He added that the office plans to organise Cantonese courses for the talent’s children and non-Chinese speaking talent in the future.
Full integration: New talent participate in Hong Kong Talent Engage’s Cantonese course to master the language’s daily application and basic skills. Source: news.gov.hk
Attracting talent
Beyond helping new arrivals adapt to life in the city, HKTE actively promotes Hong Kong's advantages to attract global talent with diverse backgrounds to come and settle in Hong Kong and develop their careers.
Mr Lau said the office’s objective is clear. Based on the Hong Kong Talent List and survey reports, they analyse talent distribution across different countries and plan their visits.
In the coming months, the office will embark on promotion activities in Malaysia, Singapore and North America, as well as European countries including the UK and Germany.
“Malaysia is an excellent market, both linguistically and culturally, with talent in business services, healthcare services, and innovation and technology, while in Europe the talent is mainly dispersed across the fields of artificial intelligence and electronic technology, with Germany producing more business and technology talent,” Mr Lau noted.
Established in October 2023, HKTE expects to meet performance indicators including webpage views, social media platform numbers, follower counts and partnership numbers, by the end of this year.
