What to prepare to attend HK government school?

[Vino]

Hi my children just migrate to HK and need to attend government school in primary in September 2014. They don't speak and don't understand Cantonese, they only speak mandarin and English. Any advice what should I do to train them? They are just enter Manhabit kindergarten HK in February 2014. Thank you

 

[Roger]

The kindergarten should be exposing them to Cantonese. If it isn't find another one. Forms need to be submitted to the EDB IMMEDIATELY. Contact the kindergarten for these. They should have been issued to you in September or when you enrolled your children. If you don't have them or the kindergarten can't help, go to your local district office. They will explain everything. It is vital that children living here learn Cantonese as well as Mandarin as Cantonese is the community language. If finding another kindergarten is not an option, then Kumon or some tutorial places may be able to help.

 

[Vino]

Thank you Roger. Government school require children to know everything when come to primary one, I feel stress for my children cause they missed the k1,k2 and k3 in Hong Kong. What they learn in previous kindergarten was mainly sensorial practice and manage her daily life.

 

[Roger]

Don't worry, it's the school's job to bring them up to speed, (that's what taxes are for) and once the children are allocated a school, the school can't turn them down. Also, there is a check box to indicate that they don't speak Chinese, which means that they'll be put into a CSL program for 6 months or even found an English medium school with Chinese as a second language. However, it's better if they go to school with other local Chinese as this immerses them.