Troubled school gets new sponsor
Updated: 2009-07-11 06:57
By Colleen Lee(HK Edition)
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HONG KONG: The Fukien Chamber of Commerce Education Fund was chosen over 19 other applicants Friday to run the troubled Pegasus school in Yau Tong.
Pegasus Social Service Christian Organization decided to give up its right to run the school in May after school supervisor Carman Leung was accused of fomenting chaos in the administration of the institute.
The Education Bureau said the group was chosen to operate the Pegasus Philip Wong Kin Hang Christian Primary School cum Junior Secondary School because its proposal set out a clear blueprint for the institute.
"Among other things, the school sponsoring body has demonstrated that it has devised a comprehensive strategy on preserving the core values of the school, while bringing it to a higher academic standard," a spokesman for the Education Bureau said.
"It has also put forth effective and practical measures to address the concerns of parents and staff and to handle various urgent tasks in the run-up to the new academic year in September. All in all, it is the most balanced candidate in terms of its commitment, capability and readiness in taking over the school," he added.
Wong Chow Kuen-kuen, a vice-chair of the fund, said: "We are overwhelmed to have gained trust from all of you. We will do our best to make it work."
The group currently runs two secondary schools in Kwun Tong and in Siu Sai Wan, as well as an institution in North Point.
Once the Fund has taken over operations, Primary Six and existing junior secondary students at the Yau Tong school will study at the Fukien Secondary School in Kwun Tong. The transition is expected to take place by the 2011-12 school year.
The Kwun Tong school will add five new classrooms by the end of March so as to accommodate students of the Yau Tong school, said its principal Lam Kin-wah.
Lam said the Yau Tong school will continue to run under the direct subsidy scheme and school fees will be frozen for the coming school year.
He also said the school will provide Bible and Moral Education for students. Students will be able to choose which of the courses they prefer to take.
The group will also reserve at least HK$10 million for transition expenses, including staff pay for the summer break and acquisition of new furniture and equipment, said Stephen Ting Leung-huel, a vice-chairman of the fund.
Lam said the school board of the Fukien Secondary School will meet next week to discuss a new name for the Pegasus Christian Primary School and name the school board for the Yau Tong school.
He said the Yau Tong school has about 63 staff members who will be offered new contracts under a two-year probationary period next week.
Lam said he will meet the Yau Tong school's principal and vice-principal on Saturday to learn more about the school's operations.
Ada Wong Ying-kay, whose family contributed HK$5.5 million to set up Pegasus school - which is named for her father - said she has no plan to ask the education fund to use "Philip Wong Kin Hang" in the new school name.
Fong Yeung Oi-yan, the chairwoman of the Pegaus school's Parent-Teacher Association, said she is confident that the government made a good choice in naming the Fukien Chamber of Commerce Education Fund to run the school.
The education fund will take over the Yau Tong school next Tuesday.
(HK Edition 07/11/2009 page4)