Saturday, 27 July 2024SPEECH DAY 2022
Good afternoon to our guest of honour – Dr. Emily Chan, Sr. Michelle, Mr. Long, School Managers, principals, alumni, parents, teachers and graduates,
Welcome to Shung Tak Speech Day for Class 2022. We are thrilled to have our school managers, principals, parents, teachers and graduates 2021-2022 gathered together on this special occasion. My deepest gratitude goes to our alumna, Dr Emily Chan, a Specialist in Neurosurgery and an Associate Consultant in Prince of Wales Hospital for agreeing to come back to her alma mater and share with our graduates of their special day. I am sure Dr Chan has already prepared many inspiring stories to share with us. We are also very privileged to have our former Supervisor and Principal, Mr. Malcom Long, to be with us this afternoon.
SCHOOL’S MAJOR CONCERNS
Dear graduates, I hope you still remember the school’s major concerns of the recent three years, as these concerns represent what the school hopes to see you achieve:
1. To further consolidate the generic skills of our students to enable them to become reflective learners; and
2. To further inculcate the Catholic core values through service learning.
Generic skills enable us to organise, adapt, and strategically apply our skills in different situations, which is crucial in this fast-changing world. However, one must not forget that besides generic skills, reflection is the most important part when it comes to learning. It helps us make sense of the past and plan for our future.
Knowledge and skills aside, values are equally important. Mother Teresa once said, “Faith in action is Love, and Love in action is Service”. Servant leadership is what Catholic education aims at. By learning and applying the five Catholic core values, you learn the essence of Catholic education.
RESULTS IN PUBLIC EXAMINATION
One of the outcomes of quality education is the results in public examination. For our results in DSE 2022, Shung Tak continued to do well. Compared with 2021, improvement was seen in the subjects of English Language, Physics, Geography and Mathematics Extended Part Module 1 which showed an increase in the percentage of Level 5**. Also, in Ethics and Religious Studies, Chinese History, Chinese Literature, Geography and Physics, we saw an increase in the percentage of Level 5* & above. It is pleasing to report that, as last year, we have a total of 13 subjects reaching 100% of Level 2, which does not include Chinese and English which we expect our graduates to obtain at least a Level 3. In other words, we have 15 subjects reaching a Level 2. Congratulations.
WHAT DO THESE RESULTS MEAN TO US HERE AT SHUNG TAK?
In Shung Tak, we aim for each of our students to achieve the best they can. This means we cater for all. Teachers will keep up their hard work supporting average and weaker students with an aim of having all students achieve at least of a minimum of a Level 2. Of course, we shall also continue to stretch the school’s more able students to do their best. The ultimate aim is that the average level of performance can be of a Level 4. We have achieved our aims. A total of 90.2% of students received JUPAS offers, of which 89.3% were degree offers, and 37.5% were from the top 3 local universities.In addition to our academic aims and despite the pandemic, we have reached a record of 1621.5 hours of social service served, with 357 students reported doing voluntary work outside school, compared with 691.55 hours and only 139 involved the year before. One student obtained a gold certificate (more than 53 hours), two students were awarded a silver certificate (27 to 52 hours), six students got a bronze certificate (13 to 26 hours), and 90 students got a certificate of merit (5 to 12 hours) in the social service hours record scheme. This is evidence of Shungtakians’ spirit – in love we serve and blossom.
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL GRADUATES
This afternoon is a momentous occasion for our graduate Shungtakians to reflect on the culmination of the years of hard work; the actualization of goals attained, and the acknowledgement of successes achieved. All of you came from 34 different primary schools as Shungtakians, spent years of prayer and work together; encountered trials and tribulations; shared laughter and sadness… all these, I am sure, will be fondly remembered in the years ahead. I hope the school motto, ‘Ora et Labora’ will forever be your guiding light when you ‘chase your dreams’.
Henry Ford wisely said, “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress and working together is success.” May God’s love and care be with you all wherever you go. Congratulations to all graduates. We are immensely proud of you and I hope that you are all equally proud of your identity as a Shungtakian.
Thank you and God bless,
Dr Cecilia Tang
Principal