Bishop Paschang Catholic School | |
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Location | |
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Coordinates | 22°19′43″N 114°12′29″E / 22.32861°N 114.20806°E |
Information | |
Type | Hong Kong SAR aided school |
Motto | Patience, Justice, Diligence, and Thriftiness.[1] (in Chinese)仁義勤儉 |
Religious affiliation(s) | Roman Catholic |
Established | 1969 |
President | Anthony Vincent Brennan |
Principal | Cheng Pok Yan (鄭博仁) |
Faculty | about 50 teachers |
Enrollment | about 800 pupils |
Language | Chinese |
Website | http://bpcs.edu.hk |
Bishop Paschang Catholic School (Chinese: 天主教柏德學校) is a government-aided,[2] whole day[3] Roman Catholic coeducational primary school located in Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
The school is in Primary One Admission Net 46 of Kwun Tong.[1] With the exception of English and Mandarin lessons, the school employs Cantonese as the main medium of instruction, in line with the prevailing education policy set by the Hong Kong government. This school is generally considered as the best primary school in the area of Kowloon Bay and Ngau Tau Kok.[4] The sponsoring body was formerly the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, commonly known as the Maryknoll Fathers.[5] Since September 2023, the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong has taken over as the sponsoring body.[6]
The school was founded by the Maryknoll Fathers in 1969.[7] The Bishop Walsh School was founded by the Maryknoll Fathers in Hong Kong in 1963. When Bishop Paschang Memorial School was set up in 1969, some senior staff were transferred from Bishop Walsh School.
Bishop Paschang Catholic School is a government aided school, started to adopt small class teaching.[14] Starting from 2010, the school enrolled five primary one classes, totalling 125 pupils each year. Most pupils are from neighbourhood families. As of 2011 enrolment had reached about 800 pupils. Graduates became doctors, lawyers, accountants, pharmacists, professors, principals, teachers, professional athletes, actors, administrative officers and engineers.[citation needed]
The school employed an expert in curriculum design, Chan Mei Hing, in 2009 to succeed the retiring headmaster, Au Wing Cheung. Besides the supervisor and the headmistress, the Incorporated Management Committee (2010–2012) consisted of Fr. Thomas A. Peyton, Joseph Lai, Lee Ping Hing, Au Wing Cheung, Martin Lai, Rosa Chan, Priscilla Ko, Stefy Wong, Yip Miu Yee, and K.F. Chan.[15]
Headmasters of Bishop Paschang Memorial School AM Section in Ngau Tau Kok
AM section moved to Kowloon Bay in 2002 and became a full day school.
Headmasters of Bishop Paschang Memorial School PM Section in Ngau Tau Kok
PM section of Bishop Paschang Memorial School became full day school in 2002.
Headmasters of Bishop Paschang Memorial School Full Day School in Ngau Tau Kok
Full day school of Bishop Paschang Memorial School was merged with Bishop Paschang Catholic School in Kowloon Bay in 2008.
Headmasters of Bishop Paschang Catholic School in Kowloon Bay
The school places high importance on moral education and participated in the "Marathon 101 Education Program".[20] In 2009, they invited the blind marathon winner Henry Wanyoike and his leading runner Joseph Kibunja to the school to share with pupils their labour.
The school places priority on both Chinese and English learning. The school promotes English reading throughout, aiming at improving language skills. The school participated in the SCOLAR English Language Camp for Primary 4 Students in 2002.[21][22] The school uses Mandarin Chinese in all Chinese lessons from P1 to P3.
The campus in Kowloon Bay is of Year 2000 design by the Architectural Services Department of the Hong Kong SAR government, the current standard design for school buildings.
The school has various extra-curricular activities. The Bishop Paschang Catholic School Alumni Association awards an "A life body skill" scholarship to those pupils with outstanding performance in sports and arts.
Bishop Paschang Catholic School Parent-Teacher Association was founded in 1999. Bishop Paschang Catholic School Alumni Association was founded in 2007. Through the years the alumni association accepted graduates of all years from both Ngau Tau Kok and Kowloon Bay campus.[23] These two supporting bodies help the school in organising activities and award scholarships.[24]
The founding headmaster, Chan Man Wai, invited Taiwaneesee classical music composer, Huang You Di, to compose the school song. Lyrics were written by Lee Shi Shou, the father of the second headmaster of Bishop Paschang Memorial School PM section.[25][26]
The pair also composed the school song of Bishop Walsh Memorial School.[27]