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Jimmy Chow

When Hongkonger Joanne Fong Tze-hang was six, she realised after watching her uncle care for animals that if love could change them, it could change people too. That was when she decided she wanted to be an educator.
As the principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School today, Fong said she believes education should prepare children not merely to excel in exams but, more importantly, to grow as thoughtful, compassionate individuals.
“Academic performance matters, but a child’s character and confidence are just as important. They need to know how to care for themselves, for others and for the world,” she told the Post.
That vision has earned Fong a place among the finalists in this year’s Spirit of Hong Kong Awards in the nurturing category for her work in reimagining how primary education can blend knowledge, empathy and sustainability.
Her philosophy, which she calls the “Campus of Hearts”, is built around six core values: gratitude, empathy, compassion, wisdom, confidence and diligence.
She sees these not as slogans but as daily habits. The sense of calm on campus is palpable. The school day begins with a short mindfulness practice, and recess is dubbed “joyful time” to remind pupils that play is part of learning.
“We want them to start the day calm, grateful and ready to learn,” she said. “If they can manage their emotions and find inner peace through meditation, they can manage life.”

The bright, airy campus reflects that idea. Corridors are lined with reading corners, classrooms are open and flexible, and pupils are encouraged to move, discuss and explore.
“Our lessons connect head, heart and hands. Once children feel respected and curious, learning comes naturally,” Fong said.
The school is the first in Hong Kong to incorporate the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its curriculum.
More than 200 student-led projects now link science, design and citizenship, teaching pupils to understand global issues through hands-on action.
“Everything starts with practice, everything starts with education. If students experience sustainability with their own hands, they’ll remember it for life,” Fong said.
The projects are imaginative and practical. The Visible Green Hope programme, for example, encourages children to turn food waste into detergent and plastic products into art.
Another initiative, Earth Citizens, gives pupils a “global passport” to explore how their consumption choices affect the planet.
And around the school grounds, children pedal an Eco Bike that powers aquarium pumps and compost machines. Elsewhere, a Plant-Fish Symbiosis System runs on solar energy, using fish waste to fertilise vegetables.
Her students have even shared their ideas internationally. Last year, the school was invited to present at Cop29, the UN Climate Change Conference, where pupils explained how Campus of Hearts connects sustainability with moral and emotional education.
Fong said that discipline only works when it grows from trust and respect. When children feel loved and valued, they become more willing to listen and that sense of security, in turn, nurtures their creativity and confidence, she explained.
Through the school’s Dreamer Programme, students design and present year-long projects that address community needs, from building a butterfly garden on campus to proposing ways to support the elderly. They then pitch their ideas to a panel of experts at Cyberport.
“When they explain their projects, their confidence comes through,” Fong said. “That moment tells them they can change something – even at ten years old.”

The school also works with NGOs and overseas partners to help students connect with peers in Africa and Southeast Asia, learning about cultural diversity and empathy.
“They may come from modest families, but they can still think globally. Compassion is the bridge.”
Asked what kept her going after decades in the education sector, Fong said: “If you treat it as just a job, you’ll burn out. But if you see it as a calling, you’ll find meaning even on the hardest days.”
The Spirit of Hong Kong Awards is co-organised by the South China Morning Post and Sino Group to recognise the efforts of the city’s unsung heroes who contribute to the community or inspire others with stories of how they overcome personal challenges.


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Hong Kong society

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: school principal with a trailblazing holistic approach

Principal Joanne Fong Tze-hang of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School promotes her “Campus of Hearts” philosophy, nurturing empathy, confidence and sustainability. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

The school’s solar-powered Plant-Fish Symbiosis System teaches pupils how ecosystems work in harmony by turning environmental science into hands-on learning about sustainability. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: app that tackles food waste with ‘mystery boxes’

Agnes Lee, Hong Kong general manager of Yindii, leads the platform’s local operations and community outreach efforts. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Customers pay for and collect discounted “mystery boxes” of surplus food through the Yindii app. Photo: Kong Yat-pang

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: enterprise bridges generations through stories by elderly

Ginger Innovation helps elderly people such as Mary Lau, 82, tell their stories and connect with young people, such as through sharing sessions in primary schools. Photo: Handout

Senior ambassadors from Ginger Innovation share their life stories in shopping centres, community centres and schools, using storytelling to bridge generations and build understanding. Photo: Kong Yat-ping

News

Hong Kong

Society

Principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School has reimagined how primary education can blend knowledge, empathy and sustainability.


Spirit of Hong Kong

United Nations

Cyberport (HK)

Spirit of Hong Kong Awards: school principal with a trailblazing holistic approach

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School has reimagined how primary education can blend knowledge, empathy and sustainability.

Principal of HHCKLA Buddhist Chan Shi Wan Primary School has reimagined how primary education can blend knowledge, empathy and sustainability.