Principal Kou Kam Fai was invited to the 2020 China Education Symposium and gave a speech on STEM and Innovative Education. He also answered questions from fellow participants and shared his insights on the subject.  The event attracted a 3,000-member audience.

Founded in 2010, the annual symposium is one of the most well-established and well-known events on China education among North American colleges and universities. The symposium aims to gather education practitioners, academics, policymakers and people from all walks of life, promote discussions about education, and present progress in the field.  This year marks the 11^th forum.  Due to the global epidemic caused by the novel coronavirus, the symposium this year was held online from April 18 to 20, Beijing time, at the same time as the east coast of the U.S. 

The theme of this forum is "Breaking Barriers: An In-depth Dialogue—Opportunities and Prospects of Education in China". There are eight themed activities and three special events. Thirty-seven scholars and practitioners in the education industry from China and abroad are invited to share their experience in education. In the area of STEM and innovative education, scholars engaged in discussions on two topics: "Innovations in Education" and "The Support of Leading Technologies".  Principal Kou Kam Fai delivered a speech on "STEM Opens Doors for Talents in the New Era of Education: The Experience of Macau Pui Ching Middle School”.  He analyzed current views on talent from a macro-perspective and expounded on the role of formative education in the cultivation of talents.  Principal Kou shared how Pui Ching fosters talents who are versed in traditional Chinese culture and innovative technology through moral education, the school’s regular curriculum and extra-curricular activities.  Principal Kou also shared the founding philosophy of Pui Ching, its development and the outcomes of its curriculum reforms.

Speakers at the symposium discussed STEM and innovative education in China and the U.S. as well as its integration with a traditional, full-time school model.  They also engaged in exchanges over the status quo of education in China, curriculum design, professional development, operational management, quality assessment and the future of education.  Principal Kou expressed that the significance of the symposium is two-fold: it allowed Pui Ching to showcase the development of Macau’s innovative education and gave Pui Ching the opportunity to bring back invaluable experience from other schools and countries.  The use of technology in teaching during the epidemic also served as an important lesson on teaching beyond the barriers of the classroom.

[News from the Education Bureau]

The health and safety of students has always been the biggest consideration of the authorities in the matter of school resumption. Due to the latest increase in cases of coronavirus infection among people returning from overseas, the original plan that schools of non-higher education resume school on March 30 (for Senior 3 students) and starting April 13 (for other grade levels) is postponed.  The government will continue to monitor the development of the epidemic and adjust the school resumption plan based on the professional opinion of the health department.  The school resumption date will be announced based on the situation of the epidemic.

(2020-02-04)

In response to changes in the situation of the epidemic caused by the Novel Coronavirus, the Macao Special Administrative Region Government once again urged residents to stay home and within Macao as much as possible to reduce the chance of infection.

The school once again stresses that it is not a holiday now. Students should stay home and study according to school requirements. The school launched a Self-Learning Scheme during School Suspension on February 3.  Students learn at home according to schedule, and teachers teach and provide guidance from home. Everyone is reminded to refrain from traveling during this time.

We hope that all teachers and students stay safe and play their part in preventing the spread of the epidemic.

(2020-02-01)

In response to the continued outbreak of the Novel Coronavirus, the Education and Youth Affairs Bureau has announced that school resumption for primary, secondary and early education be postponed after the Chinese New Year holiday.  All extra-curricular activities are suspended during this time.  The school’s cultural festival, alumni dinner and Chinese New Year celebration have been canceled.

Parents and students should pay attention to messages sent by the school through eClass and other communication platforms and are reminded to sign the student health declaration forms.

 The epidemic is expected to continue for some time.  Teachers will be teaching through eClass and other online platforms.  Students should stay home and study according to the study plan proposed by their subject teachers.

The school has launched a special grant to help families affected by the Novel Coronavirus epidemic and help students successfully complete their studies. If students encounter any problems during the epidemic, they can contact their class advisor, the Moral Education Department, or the Macau YMCA.  Please find the details in the e-notice.

Authorities urge that students pay attention to personal hygiene, avoid traveling outside of Macao, and contribute their part to preventing the spread of the epidemic.

In recent years, the National Ministry of Education has significantly raised the percentage of Macau secondary school graduates admissible to Mainland universities through direct admission.  It has also increased the number of fields of study and regions open to students admitted through direct admission, giving graduates more opportunities to enter prestigious universities in the Mainland. 

Pui Ching attaches great importance to the opportunities for university admission in the Mainland. In order to support the development of the country and give students more choices for further studies, before the application period opened for direct admission, the school informed graduating students of the relevant policies and encouraged interested students who met the admission requirements to apply for their subjects of interest.  In addition, alumni studying in the Mainland were invited to return to school to share their university experience so that students can better understand the advantages of studying in the Mainland. This year, a total of 89 Pui Ching students applied for direct admission to universities in the Mainland and nearly 94% have been accepted into prestigious universities, making it a record high compared to previous years.

Pui Ching held a sharing session this morning for students who received offers from Mainland universities. Principal Kou congratulated them on their achievements and encouraged them to cherish the hard-earned opportunity and continue to work hard.

At the sharing session, Pui Ching alumnus Ms. Chao Ut Fai from Tsinghua University, Mr. Wong Chon Ioi from Fudan University, and Ms. Ip Cheng I from Shanghai University of Finance and Economics shared their university experience with the graduating students.  They pointed out the importance of self-discipline, planning and school-life balance in university and encouraged the prospective students that hard work and persistence always pay off.