Hong Kong schools should not require students with special educational needs (SEN) or severe mental illness to repeat a grade, under revised education authorities’ guidance that warns the practice could worsen their adjustment difficulties.
The latest version of the Education Bureau’s School Administration Guide requires subsidised schools considering grade retention for pupils with special educational needs (SEN) to consult parents through a team of professionals, including an educational psychologist.
“Repeating a grade will only aggravate their social and emotional adjustment difficulties and increase mental health risks,” according to the guide, which was updated in August and came to the attention of the media on Tuesday.