Canossa College Responds to Viral Bullying Video, Education Bureau Vows Zero Tolerance
HK01 · 4 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
A video showing a female student at Canossa College in Pokfulam covered in white chalk dust, visibly distressed and crying in a classroom, has circulated widely on social media, sparking heated public debate. The school acknowledged the incident occurred during the 2024/25 academic year in after-school tutoring sessions, and stated that it had immediately investigated the matter and disciplined the students involved. The Education Bureau confirmed it had contacted the school and reaffirmed its zero-tolerance stance on bullying, while also revealing that 47 peer bullying complaints were received across the past three academic years.
Key Points
- The viral video depicts a female student in Canossa College winter uniform with chalk marks on her shirt, tie, and jacket, with a teacher attempting to comfort her while other students laughed in the background .
- According to the school's official statement, the incident took place during after-school guidance classes in the 2024/25 school year; the school immediately investigated and disciplined the students responsible .
- The school replaced the external service provider for the tutoring program in the 2025/26 academic year to safeguard student welfare .
- The Education Bureau confirmed receiving 47 peer bullying complaints across three school years from 2022/23 to 2024/25, and has reminded schools to strengthen counseling and guidance work .
- The student who was punished reportedly re-uploaded the video on social media with comments questioning the victim's account, prompting the school to investigate potential cyberbullying and privacy violations .
Why It Matters
The incident exposes ongoing challenges in Hong Kong's handling of after-school programs and raises questions about whether sufficient safeguards exist when external service providers run activities on campus . The public debate surrounding the video—divided between those who see bullying and those who view it as harmless play—underscores the need for clearer definitions and consistent enforcement of anti-bullying policies in schools .
The incident exposes ongoing challenges in Hong Kong's handling of after-school programs and raises questions about whether sufficient safeguards exist when external service providers run activities on campus . The public debate surrounding the video—divided between those who see bullying and those who view it as harmless play—underscores the need for clearer definitions and consistent enforcement of anti-bullying policies in schools .