Hong Kong Baptist University will open its affiliated kindergarten
next fall.
A university running a kindergarten is not a new idea. This can be
easily found in many western and some Southeast Asia countries like Taiwan and China.
According to Mrs. Tammy C. F. Lai, the head and course leader of
Teacher Education of the School of Continuing Education Hong Kong Baptist University, an
affiliated kindergarten can provide a place and chances for the university to apply its
theories and to conduct its research.
The kindergarten, recruiting 200 students a year, will be located
inside the campus of Hong Kong Baptist University.
It will occupy the third and the fourth floor of the new building
of the School of Continuing Education.
It seems that this kindergarten will be different from ordinary
kindergartens.
Beside Chinese culture, Western culture will also be introduced.
In order to encourage children's creativity, it will emphasize art
education like music, drama and handicrafts.
It will also explore children's interests in oral English as well as
Cantonese and Mandarin.
Moreover, the kindergarten will have a "parental school"
which offers courses to the parents to share their experience and skills on how to educate
their children.
Students studying Early Childhood Education in Baptist University
will serve as teaching assistants in classes.
It is worried that Baptist University will treat the children as
guinea pigs for its students to apply their theories and conduct research.
"I can guarantee all the teaching staff are QKT (Qualified
Kindergarten Teachers)," Mrs. Lai clarified. "The involvement of students of the
Bachelor of Education (Hons) in Early Childhood Education program is only an extra."
Before planning to open its affiliated kindergarten, Baptist
University spent more than a year to visit the kindergartens in China and Taiwan so as to take
their experience as reference.
The Chung Chi Nursery School, which opened in 1967, now has 28
students and two teachers.
It is a small-scale nursery school for different races and
nationalities and one of the teachers is a native English speaker.
"This nursery opened simply because the staff living in the
university need a school for their children," said Mrs. Jennifer Chan, the honorary
manager of the Chung Chi Nursery School.
It is often thought that the school is owned by the University.
"The University only offers us space. It is not run by the
university," Mrs. Chan added.
Mrs. Chan said she did not see any "brand-name effect"
created by The Chinese University on the nursery school. However, many staff of the university
still want their children to study in this school.
"I put my son here because I think when my son leaves this
school, he can probably speak fluent English," said Mr. Lam whose son studied in the
Chung Chi Nursery School since February.
"I do appreciate the teaching methods of this school as it
doesn't push students too much and can let them explore their interests of learning through
playing.
"Moreover, I prefer a foreigner to be the teacher of my son as
he can improve his oral English earlier."
April 1999
Underage students found in campus
Underage students found in campus
By Sophia Wong
University not only means tertiary education. Preschool education is
provided in some universities as well.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong also has a nursery school inside
the campus.
"Providing children with nursery care is our primarily motivation
for running this school. We do offer priority to the staff of The Chinese University."
