Wah Yan College, Hong Kong
Wah Yan College, Hong Kong is a grant-in-aid secondary school in Hong Kong. Founded on 16 December 1919 by Tsui Yan Sau Peter, it is now a Roman Catholic secondary school for boys run by the Chinese Province of the Society of Jesus. Subsidized by the Government of Hong Kong, WYCHK is a grammar school using English as the medium of instruction. There are around 60 teachers and 800 students.
WYCHK is considered, together with its sister school Wah Yan College, Kowloon, and feeder school Pun U Association Wah Yan Primary School, as among the most prestigious boys' schools in Hong Kong. It has an enrolment of approximately 800 students with 60 teachers and a few Irish Jesuit Fathers. The supervisor of the school is Rev. Fr. Stephen Chow, S.J., who is an alumnus of the school, a Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, and an educational psychologist. The current principal of the school is Dr. Davis Chan, the second alumnus of St. Joseph's College, Hong Kong to become the principal of the college after the founder Mr. Tsui Yan Sau Peter.
History
Chronology
The beginnings
The school was founded by Tsui Yan Sau Peter on 16 December 1919 on the 3rd and 4th floors of 60 Hollywood Road, which houses the Kung-Lee sugar cane juice store and is listed as a Grade II Historic Building. On the first day of school there were only four students. In subsequent years, the school also used 54A Peel Street and 33 Mosque Junction as campuses. As the number of students rose, the school moved to a new campus at 2 Robinson Road after Lunar New Year 1921. On 1 October 1922 the school was listed as a Grant-in-aid school. In 1924 a new branch, now known as Wah Yan College, Kowloon, was established. A hostel in Wah Yan opened in 1927. That same year the first Irish Jesuit Fr John Neary came to Wah Yan and taught religious studies.In the early days of Wah Yan, the grades were not named Forms 1–7 but Classes 1–8. The "classes" were numbered in reverse order: Class 1 was equivalent to today's Form 6, Class 6 was equivalent to today's Form 1 and Class 8 was equivalent to our Primary 5.
Wah Yan under the Irish Jesuits
In 1932 the school was transferred to the Society of Jesus, after a long series of negotiations between the original administration and the Jesuit fathers. The transfer was completed on 31 December, and Fr Gallagher, S.J., replaced Lim Hoi Lan as the headmaster. The school was also given a new name: College of Christ the King.In 1933, the College published the first volume of its yearbook, The Star. A house system was introduced in 1934. In 1940 the hostel was closed down.
Wartime Wah Yan
In December 1941, with the invasion of Hong Kong by Japanese troops, classes were suspended. Fr Gallagher and Fr McAsey were interned by the Japanese.During the War, Wah Yan continued operations in Macau for a period of time.
There was another Wah Yan set up during the occupation but it closed down shortly before the war ended.
Post-war development
After the Japanese troops surrendered, the school reopened on 8 September 1945. Later in the year, Wah Yan Middle School was re-established as the Chinese stream of the school. In March 1946, the Wah Yan Dramatic Society, consisting mainly of alumni of the school and Wah Yan College, Kowloon, commenced activities, and was officially founded the following year. Its first production was "The Thrice Promised Bride".A night school was started on 17 February 1948. The next year, an afternoon school opened. In 1950 the Chinese stream of the school was closed down.
In 1951, the classes were renamed "forms": Class 1 became Form 6, Class 2 became Form 5, and so on. Class 7 and Class 8 were renamed Primary 6 and 5 respectively.
In 1952 the afternoon school was also closed.
Queens Road East "Mount Parish" era
In 1954, construction for a new campus at Mount Parish, Wan Chai started. On 27 September 1955 the new campus was formally opened by Sir Alexander Grantham, then Governor of Hong Kong.The school newspaper, "Starlet", was established in 1964. In 1971, Wah Yan College, Hong Kong helped to manage the then Pun U Primary School while the Pun U Association remaining the school sponsoring body. The primary school was renamed Pun U Association Wah Yan Primary School, and was established as the feeder primary school. The night school was closed in 1984. The streaming to Arts and Science began in Form 4 in 1986.
On 12 April 1987, the Gordon Wu Hall to the north of the main building was opened. In the same year Wah Yan achieved its first "10 A's" in the HKCEE examinations.
On 8 May 1992, heavy rainfall caused a severe landslide at the junction of Kennedy Road and Queen's Road East. It killed the driver of a passing car. The landslide caused the laboratory block to sink. Cracks were found in the playground and a crack in the classroom block had to be covered with stainless steel plates. In the same year three Wah Yan students achieved "10 As" in the HKCEE. Six classrooms were demolished in 1993 as a result of the landslide. They were rebuilt and were reopened in 1998.
The first version of the school website was set up by Dr Ashley Cheng in 1994. In 1997, the Parent-Teacher Association was established. In 1998, all classrooms were fitted with air-conditioning.
School development project
There had been plans to redevelop the school since 1995. However, the initial plans were aborted due to lack of funds and local law restrictions on architecture. In 2001 the Education and Manpower Bureau planned to upgrade all existing schools in Hong Kong to millennium standard, and the College successfully applied for part of the necessary funds for redevelopment. The School Development Project was formally launched on 26 January 2003, and works were officially started on 25 May 2003 with the demolition of the old music room block.The original aims of the SDP were to:
- Upgrade the school campus to millennium standards
- Provide extra classrooms required by the "through-train" education mode
- Construct a new assembly hall that can accommodate all students at the same time
- Rebuilding the existing music room into a 6-storey multi-use complex. The cost was HK$38.9m.
- Extension of Phase 1. The cost was HK$4.82m.
- Rebuilding the hall. This phase has yet to be completed and the cost is estimated to be HK$57m.
Phases 1 and 2 have already been completed and formally opened on 31 January 2006 by Mr Donald Tsang, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong. Phase III consists of a new school hall annexe with a much larger hall that can accommodate all the students in the school. The annexe will also house five extra classrooms and a lecture theatre.
Phase III was originally estimated to be completed by December 2006; however, lack of funds greatly delayed the completion time. In the summer of 2011, works for Phase III finally started while fund-raising is still in progress. Donors are urged to contact the former principal, Mr Tam Siu Ping George, directly as the college is still sourcing funding. The old school hall has already been demolished. It is contemplated that the new school hall complex will be completed in early 2014.
Achievements
- WYHK counts five winners of the Hong Kong Outstanding Students Awards, ranking 16th among all secondary schools in Hong Kong.
- The Red Cross cadet group of the College has secured first place in the annual drill competition for 7 years consecutively since 2003.
- Wah Yan College, Hong Kong's Scout Group won the prestigious Carlton Trophy in 1982, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2004 and 2008.
- In 2007 the student organisation of the College participated in the Lunar New Year Stall Competition co-organised by Shell and the Hong Kong Youth Federation, and won the grand prize of $10,000.
Education Goals
Campus
The campus at 281 Queens Road East, Wan Chai has an area of about 20,000 m², located on a small hill known as Mount Parish. It is in the middle of a lavish green environment with plenty of wildlife around. It was designed by the late Professor Gordon Brown, the founder of the Architecture Faculty of Hong Kong University.The campus is made up of a 3-storey spacious classroom wing, a laboratory wing together with teaching facilities beyond Y2K standards at the Gordon Wu Hall and the Francis H.B. Wong Building. A beautiful chapel can be found at the centre of the campus and a newly finished school complex with a roof top garden next to 3 multiple-purpose classrooms at the top floor, an indoor basketball court/ two badminton courts, a very spacious stage inside a new school hall that can seat nearly 1,000. Other facilities include outdoor basketball and football playgrounds and a covered playground, a gymnasium, a library, two computer rooms, a creativity laboratory, a computer-assisted learning room, four science laboratories, a multimedia learning centre, Star Studio Production Centre, a music floor, a visual arts centre, an Integrated Humanities Centre, a prayer room, 6 interactive learning rooms, a student activity centre and a canteen.
Principals
Academics
Class structure
As at the 2012–2013 school year, Wah Yan College has 25 classes: four each in Form 1 to Form 3, Form 5 and Form 6, named "W", "Y", "H", "K" and – to better care for senior secondary classes – starting from 2012–2013, five classes in Form 4, named "W", "Y", "C", "H", "K". In the coming years, all senior secondary are to have five classes. By 2014–2015, there are 27 classes in the college.Curriculum
There is no streaming in Forms 1, 2 and 3. A mixed-ability mode is adopted in learning and teaching. Students with different academic abilities are allotted evenly across the classes.Students of Forms 1 and 2 study English Language, Chinese Language, Mathematics, Chinese History, History, Geography, Computer Literacy, Integrated Science, Music, Physical Education, Putonghua, Visual Arts, Life Education/Religious Formation and Ignatian Value Education. Form 1 and 2 students also study Life and Society.
Form 3 students study English Language, Chinese Language, Mathematics, Chinese History, History, Geography, Computer Literacy, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Music, Physical Education, Putonghua, Visual Arts, Liberal Studies, Life Education/Religious Formation and Ignatian Value Education.
Students of Forms 4 to 6 are grouped into different classes according to the optional subjects taken. All students will study courses in English Language, Chinese Language, Mathematics, Liberal Studies, Aestheic Education, Physical Education, Life Education/Religious Formation and Ignatian Value Education.
In addition, students are required to take three elective subjects for the HKDSE examination. Students can choose among Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Chinese History, Geography, History, Economics, "Business, Accounting and Financial Studies", Information and Communication Technology, Music and "Ethics and Religious Studies". Students can also choose to study either Module 1 or Module 2 of the Mathematics curriculum.
Music, which may be chosen on top of the three elective subjects, is taught outside normal school timetable on Saturdays at Hotung Secondary School.
New senior secondary curriculum
Starting from the academic year 2009–2010, the school provides a new curriculum for senior students in conjunction with the planned educational reform by the Hong Kong Government.The HKDSE subjects that are now offering are Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, Liberal Studies, Chinese History, Economics, Ethics and Religious Studies, Geography, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, 'Business, Accounting & Financial Studies', Music, and 'Information & Communication Technology'.
Music, Art, Ignatian Value Education, and also Religious Formation, Life Education or Moral & Civic Education will be offered as non-examination subjects.
Wahyanites studying overseas
School statistics show that many of its students participate in overseas exchange programmes organised and subsidised by the school. Many go on to further their studies overseas on a more permanent basis. The most popular destinations are the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Canada. To assist such students, teachers of the Careers and Further Studies Committee write reference letters and testimonials. The chairlady of the Committee is Miss H.W. Ng, also the chairlady of the BAFS panel. Wah Yan also has a Post-secondary Education Trust Fund. Six scholarships and grants, each worth more than HK$300,000 per year , are awarded to suitable Wah Yan students for overseas undergraduate studies every year. Some of the sponsors are themselves former scholarship beneficiaries.Extracurricular activities
Extracurricular activities are divided into groups A and B. Group A contains school organisations and clubs/societies operated by students. Group B contains Catholic organisations, sport teams and other unclassified organisations.Each student may participate in four Group A activities at most. The maximum number of Group B activities that a student may join is left to the discretion of the teacher advisers and parents concerned.
Student Association
The Student Association of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong is the student organisation body which has the highest position in the school's management structure. It is empowered by current students, with the approval of the School Authorities through yearly Student Association election.The Student Association is a non-profit making body, which aims to promote the welfare of the students of WYHK and thus to serve the whole student body. The SA allows the students to participate in the administration of the school in matters concerning their welfare. The primary function of the SA is the organisation and co-ordination of all students; and arrangement of extra-curricular activities in the school.
The SA is composed of 10 executive committee members, including President, two Vice-presidents, Secretary of General Affairs, Secretary of Financial Affairs and five other members. The SA executive committee members should fulfill certain basic requirements to run for yearly held SA election and take office as SA. The SA would also recruit sub-committee members yearly, aiming to recruit students who would like to faithfully serve the school and the SA.
The SA would yearly hold certain major and regular events, highlighted ones would be holding a stall in the Lunar New Year Fair, annual Christmas ball, Student Festival, Teachers' Day, etc.
List of past SA cabinets:
| Academic Year | Name of SA cabinet |
| 44th SA | Zenith |
| 45th SA | Nexus |
| 46th SA | Zafar |
| 47th SA | Iznova |
| 48th SA | Lumino |
| 49th SA | Zefiro |
| 50th SA | Conditus |
| 51st SA | Vincio |
| 52nd SA | Candesco |
| 53rd SA | Eredità |
http://www.wahyan.edu.hk/library/ Wu Jieh Yee Library
Located on the second floor of the Francis H B Wong Teaching Building, the Wu Jieh Yee Library of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong was opened in 2005 with the opening of this new annexe.http://www.prefectsboardwyhk.wix.com/wyhkpb/ Prefects' Board
The Prefects' Board is an independent organisation under direct delegation of the Principal. The Prefects' main duties include maintaining discipline at school and promoting harmony among Wahyanites. Prefects' Board runs a committee system directed under the Head Prefect. The board is also responsible for co-ordinating all internal and external functions held by the school. Every year, approximately 70 prefects are divided into five groups, each with their respective group leaders. Prefects have rights to issue warning slips according to the seriousness of the offence.Five outstanding prefects are elected each year based on their general routine and external duties performances.
In the academic year 2015–2016, the number to school prefects has reduced to approximately 50 students since the Board's direction has changed to concern quality over quantity.
A Self Recommendation System will also be introduced to recruit more Prefects into the Board.
There are 1–2 development workshops each school year, aiming to enhance the readiness and qualities of prefects. Before summer, there is also a Prefect Training Camp, to prepare Probationary Prefects and the new cabinet of committee members for the challenges they will face in the upcoming school year.
Star Studio
Wah Yan Star Studio is the college's campus TV team. The team handles all audio-visual matters throughout the school year including assemblies and other school events. The team is also responsible for recording the school events and publishing the video recording or describing the events. The team is also free to record and publish interesting videos/dramas filmed by themselves, much like a TV station. All the videos are published online.The team is considered a school organization and is not interfered by the Student Association.
Houses
There are four houses in Wah Yan. Each house has their own colour.Students entering the school are each allocated permanently into one of the four houses, based on which class the student is allocated to. Students are mixed up into different classes the following year.
Students' Awards
Prizes are awarded to the top 2 or 3 students in each form. Separate awards are given to students in both science and arts streams. There are also prizes for students who achieved the best result in each subject in the HKDSE as well as languages.The Wah Yan College Alumni Association also offer students and graduates scholarships for local or overseas studies.
Since 2011, 3 secondary 5 students are elected Students of the Year annually. One of them will also be selected as the Student Ambassador who will visit an overseas chapter of the Alumni Association together with the representative from Wah Yan College Kowloon during the summer vacation preceding secondary 6. Until 2011, secondary 6 students competed for the award. In 2011, 3 secondary 5 students taking the first HKDSE and 3 secondary 6 students sitting the last HKALE in 2012 were elected students of the year and one from each group was chosen as the Ambassador.
Notable past winners include Godfrey Lam, currently a Judge of the Court of First Instance of the Hong Kong High Court, and Godwin Leung, a prominent cardiologist in Hong Kong.
To date, 5 students were awarded the Hong Kong Outstanding Students Awards.
School symbols
School song
The school song was composed around 1960 by Sr. Carmela Santos, a Sister of St Paul de Chartres originally from the Philippines. The lyrics were written by Fr. Patrick McGovern, S.J., who was a teacher in Wah Yan and then a member of the Legislative Council.Official link: http://www.wahyan.edu.hk/about/school_song/school_song.html
"This is the dear school where we learn how to treasure
And keep for a lifetime all that's noble and true,
To serve the Lord God in the love of our neighbour,
O Wah Yan, we are proud of and grateful to you.
In all that we do whether duty or pleasure,
we count not the cost, but unselfishly strive,
What's mean and unmanly we shun with displeasure,
Come praise or come blame, we hold our heads high.
Old Boys of Wah Yan cherish fond recollections
Of those who here taught us the best things to choose;
Home of our friendships, our hopes, and affections,
O Wah Yan all our lives we'll be worthy of you."
School seal
The seal of the school is divided into four quarters by a cross in red, set on a blue background. The cross symbolises the love of Jesus Christ for mankind, and the blue background symbolises the sea which surrounds Hong Kong. Five stars are set on the badge, one in each quarter and the remaining one is at the centre of the cross. According to the school, the stars symbolise either the ideas of virtue, wisdom, sportsmanship, co-operation and elegance, or the ideas of benevolence, justice, courtesy, wisdom and faith.Attempt to switch to DSS system
The school administration spent nearly three years exploring the idea of joining the "Direct Subsidy Scheme", including a rigorous nine-month consultation of stakeholders. This consultation showed strong support for the scheme among parents and alumni while teachers were evenly split on the issue. The Society of Jesus decided to apply for the school to join the scheme in January 2018. The Education Bureau rejected the application.As a result, the number of secondary 1 places reserved for graduates of the feeder school, Pun U Association Wah Yan Primary School, will remain at 79. The top 79 primary 6 students will be guaranteed places. PUWY Students may also apply for discretionary places but must go through the same procedures as candidates from other schools.
Notable alumni
Politics/civil service
Legal
Health
Entertainment
| Name | Chinese Name | Description |
| Hacken Lee | 李克勤 | Singer-songwriter-actor |
| Joe Nieh | 倪震 | Writer, DJ, founder of Yes! magazine, husband of famous actress and singer Vivian Chow |
| Kevin Cheng | 鄭嘉穎 | Hong Kong singer-actor |
| Julian Cheung Chi Lam | 張智霖 | Hong Kong singer-actor. |
| Dexter Young | 楊天經 | Hong Kong singer-actor, son of well-known Hong Kong actress Connie Chan |
| Jaycee Chan | 房祖名 | Hong Kong singer-actor, son of prominent kung-fu movie star Jackie Chan |
| Terence Yin | 尹子維 | Hong Kong actor-singer, member of the ALIVE Band. Wah Yan Primary |
| Xiao Liang | 蕭亮 | Senior broadcaster, actor |
| Zheng Junli Mian | 鄭君綿 | Singer, actor |
| Paul Chun | 秦沛 | Senior actor |
| Michael Leung | 梁繼璋 | Deputy Director of Radio Television Hong Kong, DJ |
| Ben To | 杜浚斌 | DJ, singer |
| Wayne Kwok | 郭偉安 | DJ |
| Wai Kee Shun | 韋基舜 | Prominent sports commentator |
| 李我 | Senior broadcaster, writer | |
| Tam Wai Keun | 譚偉權 | Actor |
| Hon Chi Fun | 韓志勳 | Painter |
| Tony Sai Kit Woo | 胡世傑 | Radio chair |
| James Sai-sang Yuen | 阮世生 | Director and scriptwriter |
| So Yiu-chung | 蘇耀宗 | DJ of 903, MC, dubber |
| David Lo | 盧大偉 | Presenter |
| Patrick Tam Kar-Ming | 譚家明 | Film Director; One of the major figures of Hong Kong New Wave; 26th Hong Kong Film Award for Best Director ; Associate Professor, The School of Creative Media, City University of Hong Kong |
| Leon Ko | 高世章 | Composer for musical theatre and films; Winner of 2001 Richard Rodgers Development Award for Heading East, 2003, 2006, 2009 and 2010 Hong Kong Drama Awards for his four Cantonese musicals The Good Person of Szechwan, The Legend of the White Snake, Field of Dreams and The Passage Beyond, and a Golden Horse Award for Best Original Film Song for Perhaps Love |
| Ricky Lam | 林立基 | Composer for pop music; Winner of CASH 2010 for 第五季 |
Commerce
| Name | Chinese Name | Description |
| Alfred Chuang | 莊思浩 | CEO of BEA Systems |
| Sir Gordon Wu | 胡應湘 | Co-founder of Hopewell Holdings Limited |
| Philip Chen | 陳南祿 | Former CEO of Cathay Pacific |
| Lawrence Ho | 何猷龍 | CEO of Melco PBL Entertainment Limited. Wah Yan Primary. |
| Yau Mok Shing | 邱木城 | Businessmen, Regal, the former Chairman of the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Prescriptions – Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission, the accounting firm Masilun Marseille senior partner, and vice-president of the Hong Kong Society of Accountants |
| Fong Hup | 方俠 | Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing director of the Hong Kong experienced accountants |
| Arthur Shek Kang Chuen | 石鏡泉 | Executive Director of the Hong Kong Economic Times Holding Limited |
| Kwan Chiu Yin, Robert, MA, JP | 關超然 | Cheung Kong Independent non-executive director, former Chairman of the Ocean Park Corporation, former Chairman of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu – Sociedade de Auditores Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, former Independent non-executive directors of CK Life Sciences International Corporation, :zh:Pak Fah Yeow International Limited|Pak Fah Yeow International Limited, Melco International Development Limited and Shun Tak Holdings Limited, all being listed companies, Justice of the Peace |
| Wu Po Kong, Patrick, JP | 伍步剛 | Former Vice Chairperson of Wing Lung Bank Ltd., Vice-Chairman of the Hong Kong Institute of Bankers, Honorary Chairman of the Hong Kong Scout Association, as of February 2009 the 17th richest man in Hong Kong according to Forbes magazine, Justice of the Peace |
| 羅鼎威 | JL Capital Pte Ltd, managing director | |
| 丘銘劍 | Parkson Group non-executive director | |
| Patrick C.S. Lo | Co-founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NETGEAR |
Education
| Name | Chinese Name | Description |
| Yu Kwok-Fan | 余國藩 | Former Professor at the University of Chicago |
| Tong Howell | 湯家豪 | Emeritus Professor of Statistics at ; Distinguished Professor-at-Large at ; Distinguish Visiting Professor at ; Formerly Founding Dean of the Graduate School and Pro-Vice Chancellor at ;Founding Chair Professor of Ststistics at ; formerly Director of Institute of Mathematics and Statistics at |
| Leung Siu-Tang, Tim | University of Washington Professor of Applied Mathematics; Director of the UW Computational Finance & Risk Management program; Chair for the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences Finance Section; | |
| Wong Chin-wa | 黃展華 | Teacher, Creator of the Chinese Opera in English |
| :zh:Lui Tai-Lok|Lui Tai-Lok | 呂大樂 | Hong Kong University professor of sociology, columnist |
| Ng Chun-Hung | 吳俊雄 | Hong Kong University associate professor of sociology |
| Lee Yeuk-Siu | 李煜紹 | Hong Kong University associate professor of geography |
| Dr. John K Tan | 陳岡 | Former Chief Curriculum Development Officer of Education Bureau; Former Principal of Valtorta College; Editor of WYHEUR; Former Principal of Wah Yan College, Kowloon; Current Principal of Pun U Association Wah Yan Primary School |
| Rev. Fr. Stephen Chow, S.J. | 周守仁 | Honorary Assistant Professor at the University of Hong Kong's Faculty of Education; Roman Catholic Jesuit priest; Supervisor of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong as well as Wah Yan College, Kowloon |