HONG KONG (SE): In his address at the annual general meeting of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council, Cardinal Stephen Chow, SJ, remarked that the suicide of over 30 teenagers since September this year should remind schools that their mission is to show love for students and build up their hope.
Due to the fact that some of those who committed suicide studied at Catholic schools, the cardinal said that it is time for Catholic educators to examine their mission in greater depth. “There is a need for us to reflect upon why we should provide education. Is it to become prestigious schools or to attract more students? These two goals are not bad. I am not against them. But we need to look at the basics,” Cardinal Stephen said emotionally, commenting on the high rate of suicides or suicide attempts.
“Education is about love. Only love can let young people believe in hope. When they experience love, being loved, being respected, being cherished, being accompanied, they will have hope because they will see that they are valued and loved,” he said. “If our education cannot do that, it fails even though it is a prestigious school,” he added.
The cardinal encouraged the principals present to let students feel their dignity with love so that they can grow up and develop their talents, which otherwise could be smothered by the examination-oriented education system. In his opinion, after-school programming creates a sense of confidence in students.
“We should not lose sight of our mission under our culture of education. The happiness and confidence of a student is the best proof of our work,” Cardinal Stephen stressed.
Education is about love. Only love can let young people believe in hope. When they experience love, being loved, being respected, being cherished, being accompanied, they will have hope because they will see that they are valued and loved
Cardinal Stephen
A clean environment will give young people a greater sense of hope for the future, and he reminded the schools that environmental protection is also an integral part of education.
It was noted by Cynthia Chim Yin-chu, assistant to the episcopal delegate of the Catholic Education Office, that there are many factors contributing to students’ stress, such as social isolation, family expectations, academic results, and mental health concerns.
“As we become aware of these sources of pressure on them, can we as a school work together to create a stronger protection net and reduce these risk factors? In addition, I would like to stress that such measures should not only be taken by social workers or by principals; they should be undertaken together, by everybody at the school,” Chim said.
She added that mental health should also be considered, as a teacher with a positive attitude can set a good example for students.
In addition to the pressing issue, Cardinal Stephen discussed several other education-related topics. Recalling that the council was set up in 1995 so that the education practitioners could walk in synodality, he believes the establishment has already shown the pioneering spirit of the educational field.
The cardinal expressed his appreciation to those present who contributed their efforts to education under the present challenges, such as emigration, which resulted in a large number of teachers resigning.
He welcomed the two new secondary schools and two new primary schools to the council and observed that its role is to facilitate cooperation between primary and secondary schools for synodality and synergy. He expressed appreciation of different activities organised by the council for this reason, such as the maths contest, religious education awards, joint school sports fest, asn so on.
As we become aware of these sources of pressure on them, can we as a school work together to create a stronger protection net and reduce these risk factors? In addition, I would like to stress that such measures should not only be taken by social workers or by principals; they should be undertaken together, by everybody at the school
Cynthia Chim
In addition, he was pleased to see better cooperation between parishes and schools, as well as between diocesan schools and those managed by Caritas and religious institutes.
The cardinal also encouraged new principals who are newly baptised to strengthen their formation to face the challenges better and to have better discernment before making decisions. In conclusion, he thanked the council members for their contributions and creativity.
An assistant to the episcopal delegate, Vu Im-fan, likened the role of schools to that of shepherds, servants, and stewards. In her remarks, she indicated that the mission of the 103 diocesan schools in the council is to provide quality education. Sharing successful experiences and learning from one another are examples of ways to improve their performance; closer cooperation among kindergartens, primary schools, and secondary schools so that resources can be shared; and more effective communication with parents so that their needs can be met.
John Siu Sze-chuen, chairperson of the executive committee of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan Schools Council, expressed gratitude to schools for taking part in different joint school activities. As he neared the end of his term, he expressed his appreciation for the guidance he received from the former school supervisors, particularly the Maryknoll Father Vincent Corbelli who was his first supervisor, reminding him that the principal’s role is to serve without expecting anything in return.
The chairpersons of the primary, secondary and kindergarten sections then shared their activities and their cooperation with one another and religious institutes.
After the meeting, Cardinal Stephen presented service awards to 163 people who dedicated their lives to the field of education. Four were honoured for 40 years’ service, 96 for 30 years, and 63 for 20 years of service. The cardinal reminded educational practitioners that education is ever-changing and it is crucial that they have a vision of what the needs of the future are.
Lam Yuen-ping, deputy principal of Ling To Catholic Primary School, Ho Man Tin, who received her 40-year service award, said the biggest challenge for her was the recent pandemic, which made it necessary to conduct online classes and adopt different virus prevention measures.
However, Lam believes there are more blessings than challenges in her decades of service in the education field. One example was that she recovered quickly from her serious laryngitis in her early years as a teacher after she prayed. This motivated her to look into the Catholic faith and later become a Catholic.
