1159 HK and Macau School Leadership Meeting
austra L asia 1159

HK and Macau School Leadership Meeting

HONG KONG: 9th June 2005 -- Meeting at St Louis School, Hong Kong, last Saturday, a group of 45 leaders of Salesian schools throughout Hong Kong and Macau focused particularly on the basic options of the 2004 Provincial Chapter.  This Chapter had identified (1) the importance of solidarity with all poor Chinese youth (2) building up the EPC, and (3) examining how Salesian schools cared for the 10% of their students who are poor. The meeting also took place in the context of the Centenary of Salesian presence in China, though it is part of a regular thrice a year meeting of the group.
    The participants included 18 SDBs and 25 lay principals.  School education, as carried out under Salesian auspices in the China Province, is a vast enterprise.  As part of the Province management there are a number of joint offices, one of which is the School Management Secretariate.  This secretariate has responsibilities not only within  the province but also in representing the province's educational work before Government.
    One of the ways Salesian schools have been able to give thought to the wider cohort of young people in China is through Government-sponsored educational seminars for principals in mainland China. Another way is through prayer for Chinese youth.
    The Provincial, Fr Savio Hon Tai Fai, emphasised the importance of the 10% of poor youth in Salesian schools, indicating that this is what Don Bosco would be doing.  The meeting considered some specifics such as the organisation of tutorial classes for Form 5-7 students and for younger students.  The Province's schools have also supported a number of initiatives including an adventure-based programme, Love & Life Education, founded by the FMA past pupils.  It is important, in the values climate of Hong Kong today, Fr Savio said, to apply the preventive system by promoting life education.
    In a special  initiative meant to benefit both the schols and formation, young Salesians from the Formation House will go around the schools during 2005-6 promoting a programme in Salesianity, the Preventive System, which they have prepared under the guidance of their Rector Fr Fedrigotti.
    The SARs have been through a re-organisation and reform of education in recent times, but this reform affects the amount of paperwork and external features more than the day-to-day life of the schools.  The proposed new Constitution for Salesian Schools in the Province, a document revised by the Salesian School Management Office, was distributed to participants.

VOCABULARY
EPC: Educative and Pastoral Community
thrice: three times
auspices: patronage, guiding direction
cohort: group
SAR: Special Administrative Region; term applied to Hong Kong and Macau to recognise their special status within China
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