Hong Kong students with special educational needs start new chapter at City University
- Number of SEN pupils in local schools reached 58,890 in 2021-22, 11 per cent of student population; City U catered to more than 100 of these students last year
- Raymond Lau, who has dystonic cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair, talks about his university experience and how he learned to be more independent
(From left) Chen Yongen, an inclusion ambassador at the City University of Hong Kong, along with first-year student Eric Yang Letian and final-year student Raymond Lau, expressed their appreciation for the university’s facilities and how they catered to students with special needs. Photo: Kelly FungBefore you read
SEN (special education needs) applies to those who have learning difficulties due to hearing or visual impairment, physical or intellectual disability, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, autism, or speech and language impairment.
Think about it
How has Lau been able to experience a fulfilling university life? Explain with examples.
Raymond Lau fondly recalled his many new experiences at university: watching the World Cup with friends in the dormitory, indulging in snacks late at night, and cooking his first Chinese-style lime chicken, which was so good that his mother mistook it for takeaway.
But for this Hong Kong student with special education needs (SEN), the most rewarding of all was learning how to take care of himself.
“I wanted to have a breakthrough,” explained the 22-year-old, expressing his desire to fully experience university life, including living independently.
Neurodiversity Club highlights experiences of students with special education needs
“My parents were worried whether I could manage on my own, such as doing laundry and making my bed. But I proved to them that I am capable of doing all these things,” he added.
Lau suffers from dystonic cerebral palsy, a lifelong condition characterised by involuntary muscle contractions and postures.
His condition was diagnosed when he was just six months old, after his mother noticed that he couldn’t sit straight like other children. For years, he has relied on an electric wheelchair for mobility.
Currently a Year Four student majoring in psychology with a minor in education at City University of Hong Kong (CityU), Lau shared his university experiences during the orientation day for first-year students with special education needs.
After attending a mainstream secondary school, he secured a place at CityU after completing an associate degree programme.
Despite his disability, Lau dedicated himself to gaining additional credits and even worked as a professor’s assistant at the University of Hong Kong from January to August.
With an interest in educational psychology, Lau reached out to six professors last September, seeking an opportunity to work as a research assistant to gain a deeper understanding of the subject.
To his surprise, four professors agreed to take him on. But he later realised that he was not as passionate about it as he initially thought, and he may not have the necessary skills for it. “I gave it my all, and even though I couldn’t pursue it, I have no regrets,” he said.
He said his friends played a big part in making his university life fulfilling.
Now, his goal is to work for a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Hong Kong that helps people with physical disabilities and take on roles such as a project coordinator to organise events.
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Lau, who will be graduating next year, encouraged students to be brave and give their best, saying, “Don’t be afraid. Just give it a try”.
The number of SEN pupils in local schools reached 58,890 in 2021-22, accounting for 11 per cent of the student population, according to a research paper presented by the Legislative Council last year.
In the 2022/23 academic year, CityU catered to more than 100 students with SEN.
Among the first-year SEN students is Eric Yang Letian, 21, who scored 18 points in his best five subjects in the Diploma of Secondary Education exam.
Yang was diagnosed with Duchenne muscular dystrophy at the age of nine, a condition that progressively weakens skeletal and heart muscles. He expressed his wish for the installation of adjustable desks in the university’s lecture rooms to accommodate students with special needs.
While Yang’s original plan was to study marketing, he ultimately decided to pursue a degree in intelligent manufacturing engineering, a new undergraduate programme introduced by CityU in 2021.
He believes that by studying automation and artificial intelligence, he will have better prospects for a promising career. “In this era of advanced technology and artificial intelligence, I believe that studying this programme will enhance my competitiveness,” he said.