今年七月一日是香港回歸祖國十二週年的日子，適逢今年也是國家推行開放政策三十週年。改革開放以來，中國在政治、經濟、科技、教育、文化藝術及體育方面高速發展，成就舉世矚目。國家改革開放，對香港的前途影響深遠，也與香港青少年息息相關。

香港處於中國南大門，是大珠三角的重要城市。香港在國家的發展規劃中扮演重要角色。中國發展需要人才，除了本土培訓人才外，中國的留學生及香港的大學生也是國家渴求的人才。

中國每年有四萬位博士畢業生，由於在中國較易找到工作或創業，所以愈來愈多留學外地的學生回國發展。現在，十個留學生就有六、七個回國工作。近年，香港不少年青人也到中國工作或創業。中港政府為了培訓人才，二零零八年宣佈開放深圳邊境河套區，並計劃將該區發展成為『大學城』，邀請香港八間大學開辦分校，吸引內地學生報讀，既為中國培育人才，也為香港成為區域教育樞紐做好準備。

香港數間大專院校在世界大學排名榜名列前茅，師資和教育配套也達國際水準。深圳河套大學城既為國家輸送人才，也為香港的大學開拓土地及資源，是中港雙贏的發展。

最近，香港具備宿舍的中學也希望政府能放寬國內中學生來港讀書的政策，為香港教育國際化的發展出一分力。顏寶鈴書院的新翼具備宿舍，我們也希望在新政策下能招收國內及海外留學生。

各位同學，香港回歸祖國十數年，香港與祖國共繁榮、共進步。香港的發展需配合中國年青人的個人發展，也需配合祖國的發展。要配合得好，年青人先要認識了解中國，要認識她的歷史、地理、文化、經濟、現況，更要認清她的發展方向。新高中學制正正能培養年青人這種分析、了解中國現況的能力，這也正正是香港青年人需要具備的能力。

香港要發展得好，就要恰當地回應祖國的發展需要，要做到國家贏，我們也贏的雙贏局面。

各位同學，好好裝備自己，為事業前途努力，為國家發展作出貢獻。


校長 康羅賜珍博士
二零零九年七月

Today, I would like to share with you a kind of pastime which may have been very familiar to you, but very uncommon to me and friends in my generation. Many of you must have opened a Facebook on the internet to have social networks with your friends, and the friends of your friends.

Very recently, I have shared a Facebook with one of my close relatives and I know how powerful a Facebook is. Just one click can allow you to meet all your friends on web, in time of globalization, when your friends are scattered around all over the world, in the USA, in Japan, in Philippines or in the Middle East. When you get onto yourFacebook, you can meet them altogether on any day, at any time.

Facebook is multipurpose, not only can you swap messages, chat on trivia, share your daily life incidents, but also upload your photo album and video. Besides, you can also hold functions, birthday parties or play games with a large circle of friends on web.

Stories tell us that one can also locate and chat with your long-lost friends in primary schools or in kindergartens. A legendary has told us a girl found her little brother whom she has not met since he was born.

However, Facebook may cause you unnecessary troubles. Recently, the Wall Street Journal sent out a warning to all staff about the dangers of joining social networks on the internet.

First, the number of people joining your group can be very large and can be sometimes uncontrollable, getting out of your hand.

Besides, you may also risk disclosing your confidential information, your private life and your personal data to strangers you may not know well. Such personal information may be spread in undesirable manners, at very high speed.

Sometimes, bitter comments in your Facebook may hurt you or your friends. It may strain interpersonal relationship.

Above all, communication on the internet is dialogue and sharing by words. Over-reliance will dampen one’s ability to communicate effectively in verbal articulations which require good variations of body languages, tones, level of voices and expression of genuine feeling. Thus, we have to be very careful when joining a Facebook community. We have to think twice before posting messages onto the internet.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
June , 2009

Early this week, Hong Kong people were proud to learn that three major universities in Hong Kong have been ranked among the best five universities in Asia. University of Hong Kong is rated as the best university, Chinese University the second and University of Science and Technology the fourth, next to the Tokyo University. City University of Hong Kong is the eighteenth. The rating has been assessed in terms of degree of internationalization of teachers and students, research quality, teachers’ qualifications and frequency of international cultural exchange programmes.

Such kind of survey is of course not the first of its kind. In previous surveys, universities in Hong Kong have already been highly recognized by international standards. We are well-known in the world that we have quality universities in Hong Kong.

High ranking of universities is goodwill for Hong Kong, a pride of Hong Kong people. It also helps produce quality human resources for our development. Good universities can attract good minds to study, to teach and to research in Hong Kong. This will raise Hong Kong’s education standards, enrich the education environment and produce quality manpower of Hong Kong.

The cluster of good tertiary education has attracted good students coming to Hong Kong and has helped Hong Kong more readily to become a education hub in the world, especially in the Asian Pacific region. It has been a trend that different universities in Hong Kong are increasing its intake of non-local students especially students from the mainland. I know that most universities take in about 10% non-local students by offering very attractive scholarships to top-grade foreign and mainland students.

Of course for young people in Hong Kong, they will be facing keener competition as education opportunities are to be shared among top students in the world which are commonly described as more diligent and more conscientious in learning.

Recent discussion has proposed such practice of taking in non-local students can be downward shifted to secondary schools. A few secondary schools with hostel facilities do much welcome such possible policy of the Hong Kong government. We, Ngan Po Ling College with our new hostel facilities, are also looking forward to this new policy of taking in mainland and overseas students to further diversity the cultural mix and learning ethos of our school.

Boys and girls, the trend has already been manifested. As members of a world city, a cosmopolitan in the world, please be ready to take this challenge of studying, working and getting along with top minds and strong counterparts in your studies and in your future careers.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
May , 2009

Our new school annex, a grand 60 million project, a long-awaited dream to be realized, is a milestone for further school development for a 6-year infant DSS secondary school.

We started to dream about these ideal school facilities in 2004, followed are series of meetings, negotiations with different Government Departments, tendering procedures, design, piling and construction works.

Despite all these, it is eventually given birth. Thanks to Mrs. Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-Ngor JP for officiating our Dedication Ceremony, celebrities in Kuk, friends in education community and parents for joining and sharing the pride and historic moment of our school.

Our dream school has been realized. The all-weather swimming pool enables our students to have swimming lessons, our school team to have their practice, and students, teachers and staff to relax and exercise.

Our Exchange Programme Centre is where we can share happy moments of our quality cultural exchange programmes and to meet friends coming from different corners of the world.

Our seaview mini-school hall provides a decent venue for by-level assemblies, seminars and mini-concerts.

The music practice rooms and dancing rooms cater for the increasing needs of our mushrooming music and aesthetic teams.

The Campus TV Station will be our student journalists’ production centre to create campus TV programmes in English as well as in Putonghua.

Our Astronomy and Meteorology Science Centre with the largest facilities and refractors among all Hong Kong secondary schools will fascinate Nganpolingians, visitors and primary school students with solar and galaxy gazing activities.

The spacious student dormitories, comparable to first class university hostels, will accommodate students with cosy and comfortable boarding facilities, bring students together from the East and West and immerse students in a multi-cultural living environment.

With all these, we shall be further strengthened in embarking on a new phase of development, charting out our future plans with more diversified and quality education provisions. With this, all Nganpolingians take pride in and share the excitement of having this lovely new born baby.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
May , 2009

Last week, I came across a piece of very interesting news. The headline is “Hong Kong people is out” in the offer of “the best job in the world”. When I looked into the details, the offer was indeed a “dream job” for many people world-wide. An Australian company had uploaded an advertisement on web, looking for a Caretaker to take care of the Great Barrier Reef, one of the ten wonders in the world. The successful applicant has to make proposal to preserve this big piece of coral reef, to promote it as a world-wide tourist attraction and to report to the world about the offerings and unique experiences available on the Great Barrier Reef through weekly blogs, photos and videos. What made the job wonderful was that it offered attractive salary at HK$150,000 per month. Besides the successful applicant could work and have fun, such as sunbathing, swimming, snorkeling and sailing.

For application, candidates had to create and upload a one-minute video in English, explaining why they were qualified for the post. The competition was tough as 34,684 applications have been received from candidates across the world.

During the screening process, 50 candidates from 22 countries and regions were shortlisted and 11 would be selected via internet poll and could go through further interviews. However, none of these shortlisted candidates was from Hong Kong. Thus, Hong Kong youngsters were described as being out in this “best job in the world”.

Successful candidates had to demonstrate excellent language skills, not only in English but also in Putonghua, so as to communicate with the world-wide audience. A successful Beijing candidate told the world that she commanded good communication skills, wrote impressive articles, spoke good English and Putonghua, so that she could produce excellent film stripes to introduce Great Barrier Reef, not only to the people in the western world but 12 billion people in the Mainland.

In addition to language skills, candidates should be aware of current issues and have good sense of environmental protection. Candidates should also demonstrate good problem solving skills and critical thinking by presenting their ideas in preserving, as well as promoting, the lovely environment of the Great Barrier Reef. Moreover, they should be creative enough to grasp people’s attention by innovating interesting ideas.

In time of globalization, pursuing ideal careers has become an internationalized issue in our global village. Hong Kong young people have to compete not only the people in Hong Kong, but also people over the world. I hope Ngan Po Ling students will strive to equip yourselves with good communication skills, creativity, critical thinking and awareness of current issues. By then I am sure every one of you will be competent to meet all challenges with successful achievements in the years to come.


Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
April , 2009

In February, five F.2 secondary students were found to have taken ketamine in Sheung Shui. After being taken to hospital, they were arrested by the police. According to reports, they bought the drugs from a 15 year-old boy during a lunch break and it was their first try and so the physical response was more serious.

Another headline-grabbing news was that local singers Jill Vidal (Wei Si) and Kelvin Kwan were found to be in possession of drugs in Japan.

These two incidents worry Hong Kong people that our territory may become a hotbed of drug crime.

The situation is worrying. Drug addicts are getting younger and have been linked to a trend of taking drugs in mainland China. According to the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department, there has been increasing number of arrests of young people for the possession of drugs at the Chinese-Hong Kong border.

Some Hong Kong youngsters like having fun in mainland China, such as playing in discos and karaoke bars because the prices of such entertainment in China are half the price of similar places in Hong Kong. Such cheap entertainment together with drug abuse are taking more Hong Kong teenagers to China.

There has been an increase in drug abuse in northern districts like Sheung Shui and Fanling. Some drug dealers let students have a free try just to lure them in. They wait until they become addicts and then sell them drugs at a high price. Traffickers also use drugs to lure young addicts to carry drugs for them.

Instead of heroin or marijuana, ketamine has become the most popular drug for teenagers in recent years.

Teenagers underestimate the consequences of taking drugs and that some even regard drug abuse the same as smoking and drinking. Being addicted to drugs is easier than people think, and that drugs cause damage. Ketamine can damage the bladder and urinary system, cause brain damage and can even kill.

It may seem anti-social if students reject an offer. Saying ‘no’ requires assertiveness of confidence. We have to consider the consequences, think twice, resist temptation and avoid being led astray to a road to ruin yourself.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
March , 2009

2009 is the year of the Ox. Ox people are described as honest, sincere, patient and hardworking. They are capable of enduring hardship without complaints, persistent in their undertaking and welcome by friends because of their honesty and patience.

Ox people possess qualities that match well with the values advocated by the newly inaugurated American President Barrack Obama. Obama calls for a new era of responsibility among his citizens, a recognition on the part of every person that he has duties to himself, to his country and to the world.

I hope every Nganpolingian also truthfully, gladly and diligently grasps your responsibilities to yourself, to your family, to our school and to our society.

• Turn off your TV and video games, finish your homework and work hard in your studies. Obama wishes 0% dropout from high schools in the U.S.A. Mrs Hong wishes 0% repeaters and 100% promoters in Ngan Po Ling College.

I wish more high fliers in HKCEE and more entrants to universities in 2009.

• Keep yourself well managed, keep your classroom tidy and clean.
  Be a good classmate and a responsible student.
  Be cheerful, pleasant and polite to every school member.
  We all have something to contribute to make this school a happy place to study and a better world to live in.

• Do your part to create a happy family, share, communicate and have fun with your parents, brothers and sisters.

• Volunteer to serve and help people in the society.

All these are old and simple virtues, yet they are always true and beautiful, and are rocks and foundations upon which our success depends. I wish all Nganpolingians joyful and satisfied individuals, trustworthy friends, dependable family members and fulfilling citizens of the society.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
Februrary , 2009

On our recent open day, I was impressed to see student receptionists, our language ambassadors, speak confidently and enthusiastically to our parents and guests. Teachers were also proud of our student demonstrators who introduced the exhibits fluently in English and Putonghua in laboratories and in different special rooms.

Last Saturday, I was equally touched when I saw Ngan Po Ling debaters articulate their ideas eloquently on the stage in face of very competitive opponents from a very famous EMI school in Hong Kong.

I was also overwhelmed when I listened to our senior choral speaking team in their final rehearsal before their competition. I was exhilarated when I heard the good news of their being the 1st runner up.

All these are not coincidence or luck but hard work and perseverance. Our students are good speakers and good communicators with our teachers’ professional guidance and their diligent practice.

Great speakers are not born to their greatness. It is not nature but nurture. Genius is 1 percent inspirations and 99 percent perspirations. Good speeches require very perseverant practices behind the scene. Good speakers write and rewrite their scripts, practice and re-practice their speeches. Our school open day demonstrators, our language ambassadors, our debaters, our choral speaking team members and good speakers in the lunch time forum have all these experience. They have worked very hard before their show time.

In recent years, we have emphasized the implementation of 4C curriculum, i.e. creativity, critical thinking, current issue and communication skills. Among these 4C, communication skills is the most important dimension to convey and to demonstrate the other 3C. We need good language skills to express our creative ideas, critical thinking and the applications to current issues. Good communication skill is a critical dimension for successful and effective people nowadays.

Please work hard in polishing up your language skills by practicing reading aloud or speaking aloud every day. Good speakers always practice their articulation and pronunciation by reading aloud beautiful poems, good proses and articles. Senior form students, please don’t think reading aloud is a low level practice. If you think so, you are totally wrong and your progress will be very limited. Students of all levels have to practice reading and speaking and hard work will pay off. Besides, effort has to be made to enrich your knowledge so that your can speak with good substance and content. Good speakers need good techniques as well as good ideas and substances. Empty speeches with empty content can never be compelling and captivate audience.

It has been our school mission and vision to nurture Ngan Po Ling students to be proficient in language skills. I hope, with teachers’ effort and professional guidance and students’ hard work, this is one of our major assets to grow.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
December , 2008

In previous weeks, the limelight of the mass media and the attention of the world have all been focused on the presidential election in America, the competition between Barack Obama and John McCain. The result was generally anticipated that Obama won and McCain lost. Right after the campaign, McCain made a speech to his supporters and to the people of the world which showed his dignity and gracefulness in facing loss and defeat.

He congratulated Obama, praised his ability and perseverance in inspiring the hopes of millions of Americans to make changes for the country. He positively described the victory of Obama as a great breakthrough of America. American people have demonstrated to the world they are now away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of racial discrimination by electing an African-American to the presidency.

In his time of loss, McCain acknowledged the disappointment of himself and his supporters. However, instead of provoking hostility, he reassured himself and all his supporters that the election campaign has been a great honour and experience in his life.

He admitted that there might be possible mistakes in the campaign; however, he comforted his supporters that he and his campaign comrades have done his best.

He appealed his supporters to come together, bridge the differences and unite with all countrymen. The major tasks for American people now are to join hands to do good for their country, to restore prosperity and make a better world for the younger generations.

In elections and in competitions, on the sports ground, on the stage or in your examination room, there must be victory and defeat, wins and losses. When we win, we celebrate; when we lose, we have to face it with grace, take things positively with bravery and dignity. If you have tried your best, there must be no regret and the process of competition can be fond memory and valuable experience in life.

The mid-term test has just been over. Tomorrow is our parents day on which you are going to share the outcomes of the test. If the result is encouraging, celebrate with your parents. If the result cannot meet your expectations, or the expectations of your parents, reflect on the process and try to locate areas for improvements. Stand up and strive for better results. We can act as Barrck Obama mottos his countrymen, “Yes, we can”.

One of our F.3 students was knocked down by a lorry and seriously injured. He suffered from multiple bone fracture and internal organ injury. When hospitalized, he had to undergo operations to fix his bone fracture and to receive surgery on his damaged organs. This is indeed a very unhappy incident for all members of Ngan Po Ling College. At the moment, we are providing all possible support and assistance to the injured student and his family. Consolation has been extended to his parents, teachers and social workers would pay frequent visits to our wounded schoolmate and closely follow his situation for timely support.

Traffic condition outside our school entrance has long been chaotic for a few years. We have lodged a number of complaints to the Transport Department and the Hong Kong Police Force to urge them to take immediate remedial actions. Three years ago, we asked for a non-stop restriction area outside our school to prevent tour coaches from parking outside the school entrance. They promptly set up a “7:00 am to 7:00 pm restricted area”. However, to our disappointment, this policy has not been effectively enforced. There are still a lot of illegal parkings within this zone. We also complained about the disturbing noisy horning emitted from vehicles entangled in the traffic jam caused by double parking.

Furthermore, we also complained about the short green light and long red light of the traffic signal in front of our main entrance because our members and other pedestrians do not have sufficient time to cross the road. All these complaints have received written replies and assurance for improvement and rectification.

Slight improvement has been made but the conditions are still very undesirable to safeguard the safety of our students and school members. With the traffic accident happened yesterday, I shall press even harder on the authorities concerned to take very prompt action to provide us with a safe and sound traffic environment around our school campus.

School Administrators will play our part, but you, road users have to form good habit when walking on the road. Please use pedestrian crossings when you walk on the road, don’t jay-walk and don’t cross the road at the rear part of the parking vehicles for the coming cars from the opposite direction cannot see you and the drivers may crash into you. Besides, don’t talk on mobile phone and listen to MP3 when you are walking on the street.

As I reminded you in one morning assembly last year, the loud music will deafen your ears and drown the horn of the incoming cars. Statistics has shown clearly that listening to MP3 on the street causes increasing number of road accidents and raises death tolls on the street. Our bodies are fragile and vulnerable in compared to the running vehicles with multiple horsepower. Accidents break the hearts of our parents and family members, and will give you incurable wounds and life long defects.

For the sake of your safety, your personal and family well-being, please be careful when you walk across the street.

Dr. Hong Lo Chi Chun
Principal
November , 2008

十月一日是中華人民共和國成立59週年國慶紀念日。今年，對於十二億中國同胞來說，是百感交集的一年。北京奧運的成功，帶給中國人民前所未有的光榮、喜悅；但年初的雪災、五一二四川地震、廣西水災，都使我們無限悲慟、感慨。 最近，牛奶食品含過量三聚氰氨事件，禍及幾萬中國嬰孩，以及無數在不同國家的孩子，更使我們非常難過。

年初我們為民工在雪災無法歸家過春節而心痛，我們為四川大地震一幕幕家破人亡的場面落淚。災難中，我們看見中國人發揮堅如鋼鐵的團結精神；災難後，全球華人同心同德，軍人救災，身處內地及海外的同胞則全力籌款，為賑災出力。八月份北京奧運會，是全球中國人的驕傲，奧運開幕典禮及閉幕典禮，充分表現中國的深厚文化、現代文明和高科技水平。整個北京奧運會過程安排細緻、一絲不苟，被譽為歷來最好、最有水準的一次國際運動盛事。此外，我國奧運金牌數目居世界之冠，全球華人與有榮焉。奧運以後，好消息再次從北京傳來：我國航天科技再一次突破，神州七號已於九月二十五日晚上成功升空，中國太空人首次在太空漫步，為登月的嫦娥一號作好準備。中國現在享有前所未有的國際地位，我國現在於經濟、政治、軍事、體育、以及航天事業的世界舞台上，舉足輕重。但是，有毒牛奶事件是一次人為的禍害，令人髮指，更令全世界的中國人蒙羞。我們深感中國的法律、商業經濟制度、人民教育和國民素質，有待提高。

各位同學，你們是幸福的一代，不再像上一代需要逃避戰亂。中國已經走上高速發展的道路，你們是中國的未來、中國的下一代，你們這一代將要面對更多、更大的挑戰。我國將來需要的人才不單是要具備專業知識、創造力，以及良好溝通技巧，更重要的，他們要擁有良好的批判思維，良好的品格和高尚的情操。中國需要的是才德兼備的下一代，有才無德是害群之馬。顏寶鈴書院多年來的辦學方針是培養同學有知識、有能力，也有品德及情操。你們要努力學習，好好裝備自己，成為品學兼優的年青人，將來為國家、為社會作出貢獻。

On Monday, in our opening ceremony of our new school year, I enjoyed a lot our teachers’ short presentations to our students. Many of them gave us good advice and encouragement for a new start. Mr. Chan quoted Kennedy’s speech to his countrymen before their mission to land on the moon and advised our students to take challenges and hard tasks in order to improve. Mr. Tong shared with us an inspiring story and let us know that if we want to fly high like butterflies, we have to struggle like a butterfly struggling from a cocoon.

Recently, we have also heard a lot of success stories of the Olympics heroes. They are all heartening personal stories of struggle. A Chinese saying goes in this way, “ A minute’s success on the stage requires ten-year practice under the platform.” Michael Phelps won eight gold medals in swimming and broke the world record. Behind the scene, he built his way to excellence through very harsh and exhausting sessions of training. China’s weighlifting champion Lung Qingquan has practiced incessantly for four years without going home and seeing his family members.

Champions were working very hard, but working very hard does not guarantee 100% championship, 100% gold medals. Olympics Games also give us lessons on competition. World competitions are always very stiff, all participants are world class top athletes. No contestants can be sure that he or she is to win. There are always wins and losses, winners and losers in the courts of competition. The USA shooting athlete Emmons made nine good shots, but missed the core target in his tenth critical shots. Thus, he lost the game. Our previous gold medalist Cheng Fei lost in the final competition of her Gymnastics competition and was in sheer frustrations. Winners in competitions require hard work, perseverance, fitness of body and also fitness of mind. They have to be tough in body and tough in mind. They need to be capable of handling pressure, facing high expectations from different parties, as well as commanding composure and calmness in critical moments, in time of ups and downs and in time of winning and losing. When they win, they celebrate, and when they lose, they have to endure the pain of losing. Most importantly, they also need bravery to stand up, work hard and strive again in time of defeat.

I think most of you must have set good goals for the new school year. I hope all of you can follow the spirits of our Olympics heroes, set good targets, take new challenges, work hard with perseverance, try your best, enjoy the process, hope for the best and prepare for the worst. Again, I wish you fruitful returns, joy and accomplishment of your new good records in the new school year.

In the past summer vacation, the Olympic Games have grasped most people’s attention all over the world. This year, Chinese people are particularly excited as we are proud to see our country hosting this most significant international sporting event with excellent arrangements and management, with grace and in good style. The performance of all Chinese athletes and the gold medal rush are equally impressive. China has really demonstrated her flair as a super power in the world.

Amidst the excitement, we also feel the power of globalization in the Olympic Games. We witness high mobility among the outstanding sportsmen and high quality coaches across countries in the world. The USA volley ball team, who got the silver medal, is led by a Chinese coach Long Ping. The Australian high platform diving champion is also guided by a Chinese coach. On the other hand, our synchronized swimmers are coached by a Japanese professional and our fencing team who got championship is coached by a French expert. Our Chinese athlete Yiu Ming plays in NBA, and Chinese ping pong player Li Jia Wei plays in Singapore. Quality people are all high demand in international arena. This echos what I always remind my students that nowadays, young people are not just competing with people in local market but quality people and talents all over the world. In order to be competitive, young people have to work hard to equip themselves and polish up good language skills in order to face the future challenges

Last year was also a year of hard work and a year of harvest for Ngan Po Ling College. We reaped in both academic and non-academic aspects. Our Nganpoligians shone in different external competitions with impressive results. We are the champions in music, in sports and in academic competitions. We are also proud of our student who has out competed 30 millions contestants on our mainland and was awarded with the honor of the star of literature in China.