Wah Yan College, Hong Kong

The school was founded by Peter Tsui Yan Sau on 16 December 1919 on the 3rd and 4th floors of 60 Hollywood Road, which houses the Kung-Lee sugar cane juice store (公利真料竹蔗水) 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 (the present site of Bishop Lei Int'l House and Raimondi College) after Lunar New Year 1921. On 1 October 1922 the school was listed as a Grant-in-aid school. In 1924 a new Kowloon branch was established in Mongkok. 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 (the equivalent for Form 7 did not exist at that time), Class 6 was equivalent to today's Form 1 and Class 8 was equivalent to our Primary 5.

First campus (1919 to 1921): 3rd and 4th floor of 60 Hollywood Road, Central

Current campus (1955 to current): 281 Queen's Road East, Wan Chai

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.

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.[2]

There was another Wah Yan set up during the occupation (called "Wah Yan Chung Hok", meaning Wah Yan middle school) but it closed down shortly before the war ended.

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.

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 (2H, 2K, 4H, 4K, 6S2, 7A) were demolished in 1993 as a result of the landslide. They were rebuilt and were reopened in 1998.[3]

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.

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 (SDP) 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[4]

The total cost of the SDP was estimated to be HK$104m. It was to be carried out in three phases:

• 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.

Funding for Phase 1 is by the Hong Kong Government's Quality Education Fund and the School Improvement Programme. Funding for Phases 2 and 3 are by fund-raising campaigns hosted by the school.

Phases 1 and 2 (New Annex) 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.[5]

The Lunar New Year Fair stall put up by students from the College.

• WYHK counts five winners of the Hong Kong Outstanding Students Awards,[6] ranking 16th (tied with La Salle College, Madam Lau Kam Lung Secondary School of MFBM, and Queen Elizabeth School) 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 (15th Hong Kong 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.[7]

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" (for "Wah", "Yan", "Hong" and "Kong" respectively) and – to better care for senior secondary classes – starting from 2012–2013, five classes in Form 4, named "W", "Y", "C", "H", "K" (where "C" is for "College"). In the coming years, all senior secondary are to have five classes. By 2014–2015, there are 27 classes in the college.

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 (the four core compulsory subjects for Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination), Aesthetic Education (Music and Visual Arts), 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" (BAFS), Information and Communication Technology, Music and "Ethics and Religious Studies" (ERS). Students can also choose to study either Module 1 (Calculus and Statistics) or Module 2 (Calculus and Algebra) of the Mathematics curriculum.

Music (HKDSE), which may be chosen on top of the three elective subjects, is taught outside normal school timetable on Saturdays at Hotung Secondary School.

Beginning in the academic year 2009–2010, the school provides a new curriculum for senior students alongside the planned educational reform by the Hong Kong Government.

The HKDSE subjects that are now offered 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.[11]

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 (or up to HK$1,200,000 per grant), are awarded to suitable Wah Yan students for overseas undergraduate studies every year. Some of the sponsors are themselves former scholarship beneficiaries.[12]

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 (the School Authorities refer to the Principal, Assistant Principals, the teacher advisers and the ECA Committee of Wah Yan College, Hong Kong) through yearly Student Association election.

The Student Association (SA) 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.[13]

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:

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.

The Prefects' Board is an independent organisation under direct delegation of the Principal.[14] 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.[15]

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.

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.

There are four houses in Wah Yan.[16] 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.

The school song was composed around 1960 by Sr. Carmela Santos, a Sister of St Paul de Chartres (SPC) 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.[17]

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 (Chinese: 德、智、體、群、美), or the ideas of benevolence, justice, courtesy, wisdom and faith (Chinese: 仁、義、禮、智、信).