Harassment allegations during mainland study tour raise concerns among HK students

The Education Bureau has demanded a report from a Tseung Kwan O secondary school following online claims that two Form 5 female students were harassed during a mainland study tour last week.

According to a Sunday (June 29) post on Threads, the students from Chang Pui Chung Memorial Secondary School were allegedly approached by four intoxicated men in their hotel corridor while heading to a second-floor activity room.

The men reportedly questioned the students, asking, "Are you from Hong Kong?" and "Why is your Mandarin so good?"—while filming them and demanding their WeChat contacts.

Feeling unsafe, the students attempted to disengage and repeatedly phoned their teachers for help, but received no response. After roughly 15 minutes, a teacher from another school on the same tour intervened.

When the students’ own teacher arrived, they asked the men to delete any recordings, but the group denied having filmed anything. The hotel later claimed its security cameras were "malfunctioning" when the students requested footage.

The school faced backlash after some students alleged that their teacher criticized them for interacting with the men and questioned their compliance with safety protocols rather than providing support.

School: Students unharmed, no physical contact occurred

Vice-principal Au of the Tseung Kwan O school confirmed the harassment took place in the hotel hallway and was first noticed by a teacher from another school, who helped escort the students to their teacher and the hotel staff.

Au emphasized that the students were unharmed, stating there was no physical contact. After the teacher’s arrival, one man reportedly apologized and pledged no repeat behavior.

Au added that five teachers had been assigned to patrol in two groups, with staff on every floor, and students were instructed to remain in their rooms unless granted permission to leave.

Education Bureau confirms safe return, demands report

The Education Bureau confirmed it contacted the school about the incident, noting that immediate measures were taken and all students returned safely to Hong Kong on June 27. The bureau has ordered the school to investigate further and submit a detailed report.

Reiterating the importance of safety during exchange programs, the bureau stressed that all study tours and outdoor activities must adhere to departmental guidelines to protect participants and prevent students from being isolated in risky situations.

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