ABSTRACT
Given the unique socio-political and cultural context, schools serve a significant number of Ethnic Minority (EM) and non-Chinese Speaking (NCS) students in Hong Kong. The political leadership and government officials show a strong commitment to integrating these students into mainstream society. Although the education of EM/NCS students in Hong Kong schools can be traced back to the British colonial era, several policy initiatives and support measures were introduced after Hong Kong's handover to Mainland China. The official recognition of EMs as a subgroup of Hong Kong's population was only announced in 2001, even though such groups were already present since the British colonial period. A discussion on the historical trajectory of the educational reforms and support programs can help better understand the educational policy and support provision status to these students in Hong Kong schools.
