Beyond 1997, an immense number of immigrants from mainland China has forced Hong Kong to face a lot of problems. The schooling question of children from mainland China has posed a major concern to the school system of Hong Kong. Nowadays, although several kinds of support can be provided by the Hong Kong Education Department, there are still rooms for improvement. Studies in Hong Kong have shown that educational difficulties are common among these newcomers. These include, for example, getting a school place, being forced to study in a lower level, having to learn complex Chinese characters, speaking and listening to Cantonese. After a brief introduction of the educational difficulties and needs of the school-aged children from mainland China, this paper attempts to propose some suggestions that are useful for social and educational integration of these new-arrival pupils in Hong Kong.[Copyright © 1998 香港仔街坊福利會社會服務中心]
