Four Reflections on the Future Challenges and Opportunities of Hong Kong (July 2021)

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Rev Dr Eric S. Y. SO

4 The Mission of the HKCCCC Schools

The Christian schools of Hong Kong were established by the missionaries in the middle of the 19th century. The missionaries recognized that through such institutions people could receive not only the gospel of Christ but also a holistic nurture. In order words, the mission of the Christian schools was, and is still, both evangelistic and educational. With this mission in mind, HKCCCC has been sponsoring schools in Hong Kong for many decades. By providing holistic education in its schools, HKCCCC aims to guide boys and girls to seek eternal life and thus to strive for the common good for others.

In the Statement of The Church of The Lord at the 1968 AGM, HKCCCC proclaimed that: 1) The love of the Lord is fully manifested in Jesus Christ, 2) The Incarnation of Jesus Christ was to bring the fullness of life to all. These two highlights were echoed in 2003 by the Vision Statement of the HKCCCC schools, namely Together We Nurture the Fullness of Life, Hand in Hand We Witness to the Love of Christ.

In order to realize the 2003 Education Vision, HKCCCC has endeavored to nurture the students to grow and mature. As well as academic achievements, the HKCCCC schools also place emphasis on morality, interpersonal relationship, enabling the students to develop their multi-intelligence as well as spiritual formation. HKCCCC initiated chaplaincy ministry in 2009 in their schools for spiritual formation in particular. The chaplains are commissioned by the HKCCCC churches to serve as the spiritual mentors for both the students and their parents. At the same time the chaplains collaborate with the teachers and other professionals, such as the social workers and the education psychologists of the schools. The team work of each and every one in the school is essential because HKCCCC requires them to work for only one common interest: the interest of the students.

Throughout the years, parents have appreciated the educational vision of HKCCCC and favor this methodology of education. The HKCCCC schools have also gained a good reputation in the community because people have discovered that in the past years numerous experts in various professions and leaders of different sectors had been nurtured by the primary and secondary schools of HKCCCC.

In the future, notwithstanding emerging changes and challenges which may bring hurdles to their implementation of educational vision and mission, the HKCCCC schools have this commitment entrusted to them by the parents. The past history of HKCCCC schools proved that through education the Hong Kong youth could discern the significance of the fullness of life, and on the school campuses people could find the love of Christ.