Christian Service News
Issue 60 (July 2008)
NewsFlash
Building a Caring and Loving School Culture through
the Launching of "Caring School Award Scheme 2007"
The "Caring School Award Scheme 2007" was organized by our Integrated Children and Youth Service with the collaboration of Hong Kong Association of Careers Masters and Guidance Masters. This scheme aimed at promoting a caring school culture and showing recognition to teachers and school personnel on their dedicated efforts in loving their students.
The award presentation ceremony was successfully held on 30 March 2008 in the Academic Community Hall of Hong Kong Baptist University. Altogether, there were around 500 guests and representatives from the primary and secondary schools attending the ceremony.
Miss Wu Po-ling, Principal Assistant Secretary (School Administration and Support) of the Education Bureau, was invited to be the officiating guest for the ceremony. In her opening speech, Miss Wu commended the enthusiasm of the organizers in promoting a culture of genuine love and care in schools. She also admired the efforts of educators to develop practical ways in implementing and sustaining the caring school environment. "Through more sharing of experiences in caring work, the caring school culture can be cultivated in every school," she said.
Indeed, there was a steady increase in the number of schools honored with "Caring School Awards" throughout the past three years. This reflects the recognition of the importance of a caring and loving school culture by the education sector. In 2005, 64 primary and secondary schools were granted the honor of "Caring Schools". In 2006, the number of "Caring Schools" increased to 76. This year, 94 primary and secondary schools were honored with "Caring School Awards," among which 4 secondary schools and 3 primary schools were credited with "Excellent Caring School Awards." They were Man Kiu College, Carmel Secondary School, Ching Chung Hau Po Woon Secondary School, P.A.O.C. Ka Chi Secondary School, Y.L.P.M.S. Alumini Assn. Ying Yip Primary School, Shatin Methodist Primary School, and FDBWA Mrs Fung Ping Shan Primary School.
Moreover, a special award named "The Most Caring School to Students with Special Needs" was newly introduced this year. This award honors schools with outstanding practices in caring students who have special needs. 4 schools were granted with this special award, including Confucius Hall Middle School, China Holiness College, L.S.T. Leung Kau Kui Primary School (Branch), and Baptist Rainbow Primary School.
With the successful launching of the Caring School Award, Miss Yvonne Chak Tung Ching (Principal Coordinator of Integrated Children and Youth Service) shared her passion in running this caring school campaign. "Through the Caring School Award Scheme, we aim at promoting a caring and loving culture in schools by recognition rather than making a competition to compare schools' performance," she said. "We deeply appreciate all the efforts done by each Caring School in loving their students. As this campaign is intended to be an on-going one, we hope that a loving and caring culture would be eventually sustained through the collective collaboration with the education sector."
