(Hong Kong, 6 December 2011) St. Paul’s Co-educational College (SPCC) today saw a milestone development with the grand opening of the Chong Yau Pak Wan Residence Hall and Li Chong Yuet Ming Building on MacDonnell Road, Central. Officiating at the ceremony were Mr Victor Li and Mr Richard Li, both alumni of the College and Directors of the Li Ka Shing Foundation, the Most Reverend Dr Paul Kwong, Archbishop and Primate of Hong Kong Sheng Kung Hui, and Professor Tam Sheung-wai, Chairman of the College Council.
“The Chong Yau Pak Wan Residence Hall and Li Chong Yuet Ming Building have brought a new dimension to our century-old College,” said Professor Tam. “We are pleased with the harmonious fusion of our red-brick heritage and modernity that would give an impetus in our pursuit to be a world-class school in the 21st century.”
Built at a cost of over HK$200 million, the 92,000 square-foot Chong Yau Pak Wan Residence Hall and Li Chong Yuet Ming Building stand on the site that used to be the campus of its primary school. Construction began in August 2008 after the primary school had moved to the new campus in Wong Chuk Hang.
$160 million donation unprecedented in Hong Kong secondary and primary schools
“We are grateful for the gifts of HK$160 million from the Li Ka Shing Foundation and Dr Li Ka-shing’s family. As we understand, a donation of this size is unprecedented among donations to secondary and primary schools in Hong Kong,” Professor Tam remarked. “The Chong Yau Pak Wan Residence Hall and Li Chong Yuet Ming Building would not have been possible if not for their generous support.”
At the opening ceremony, Mr Victor Li said, “My brother and I very much enjoyed growing up and learning in the academically stimulating environment at SPCC. Both my mother and father had a strong affection towards the College and our family has many warm reminiscences of our school days.”
“My family is very pleased that the Li Ka Shing Foundation, established by my father in 1980 to support education and healthcare initiatives, together with Richard, have the opportunity to contribute to the College’s redevelopment plan today,” Mr Li expressed.
“With a longstanding heritage, enlightened education philosophy and concern for greater society, SPCC has provided generations of students with an all-round education, one that lays a strong foundation for their future contribution to society,” Mr Li added.
“I look forward to the continued success of SPCC, with many more generations of children in Hong Kong benefiting from the quality education provided by this esteemed institution. I am sure the College will continue to uphold its reputation as a leading school, both in Hong Kong and around the world,” Mr Li concluded.
Enhanced facilities for a holistic education
The Li Chong Yuet Ming Building features a range of new, enhanced facilities for the betterment of teaching and learning: 23 classrooms and special rooms, eight laboratories, a lecture theatre and an indoor games hall.
The lecture theatre has a capacity of 250 and is furnished with retractable seats for greater flexibility in the use of space. It can cater for a diverse range of educational activities, eg, theatrical and musical performances, seminars and conferences, leadership training and workshops.
Sports facilities have been greatly upgraded with the 6,000 square-foot indoor games hall that features a 25-foot sports climbing wall. The games hall provides a good venue for a variety of ball games: basketball, volleyball, badminton, handball and tennis.
There is a new cafeteria and a residence hall. Scheduled to open early next year, the residence hall houses 81 beds over the top four floors of the Li Chong Yuet Ming Building, and is named after Madam Chong Yau Pak Wan.
Dr Anissa Chan, Principal of SPCC, was delighted with the opening of the Chong Yau Pak Wan Residence Hall and Li Chong Yuet Ming Building, saying, “The teaching and learning facilities have been considerably enhanced to allow for greater flexibility in curriculum design, befitting of the College’s offer of a dual curriculum of the local Diploma of Secondary Education and the IB Diploma Programme.”
The Chong Yau Pak Wan Residence Hall and Li Chong Yuet Ming Building are part of the College’s five-year redevelopment. The coming two years will see its main building being re-configured – with modernisation of the school assembly hall and the library, addition of exhibition halls, expansion of music and sports facilities – for a better, holistic education for students.
Li Chong Yuet Ming Bursary
In addition to the latest contribution to the College’s redevelopment, the Li Ka Shing Foundation has also established the Li Chong Yuet Ming Bursary in 2005 to provide HK$2.4 million of financial aid to SPCC’s students from 2005 to 2014.
