Principal's Message

Good morning, teachers and students!

As we embark on a new academic year, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all our new Form One students who are joining our Po Tong family at PLK Celine Ho Yam Tong College. I hope you will embrace our culture of mutual support and take good care of each other, helping everyone adapt perfectly to campus life.

This summer, our dedicated teaching staff worked diligently to prepare for the upcoming school year, including conducting make-up classes and planning lessons. Meanwhile, our clerical staff and janitors were busy cleaning and furnishing the school facilities, ensuring that various renovation and maintenance projects were completed before the start of the new term. As you may have noticed upon entering the campus this morning, the ground floor basketball court has been newly paved, the fifth-floor basketball court has been renovated, all classrooms have been refurbished with new student desks and chairs, and the air conditioning units in the library and some classrooms have been replaced. Ongoing projects include the renovation of the tennis court, the sixth-floor computer room, and the Chinese culture room in the Po Tong exhibition centre on the first floor, all expected to be completed in September and October. We believe these improvements will soon provide a more pleasant learning environment for all students.

May I take this opportunity to congratulate our Form 6 students from last year for their outstanding results in the 2024 DSE. An impressive 87% of our students achieved the required marks to enroll in bachelor degree programmes, with a commendable 61% credit rate (level 4 or above) in Chinese and over 80% in Biology and Physics. This year, our school achieved a total of 44 subjects with level 5** or level 5*. In terms of university admissions, 86% of our students successfully enrolled in local bachelor programmes through JUPAS, with 42% entering four prestigious universities, namely HKU, CUHK, HKUST, and PolyU. Notably, our students Li Yuk-tung and Chan Leong-yin have successfully enrolled in the medical programme at HKU. I sincerely hope that all students here will look up to the exemplary performance of your seniors and achieve similar or even more remarkable results through hard work and determination in your future examinations, gaining admission to your desired university programmes.

The recent Olympic Games have inspired us with the athletes’ dedication and spirit. They strive to give their all, regardless of winning or losing. While medallists receive applause, we must also admire those who, despite not winning, have poured their hearts into their performances. As the new school year begins, I hope our Po Tong students will embody the athletes’ focus and determination, whether in academics or extra-curricular activities. Do not doubt your abilities; instead, immerse yourself fully in your pursuits and dare to try. Only when you embrace challenges and push beyond your comfort zone can you unlock your potential. Moreover, the Olympics remind us of the importance of sports. Through physical activities, we not only enhance our agility but also build resilience, mental fortitude, and good health. These qualities empower us to break our limits and achieve new heights. Hence, two of our school’s major concerns for the next three years will be “to enhance students’ sense of achievement in learning and nurture students to be self-confident and resilient ‘Potongers’” and “to foster students’ development of a healthy lifestyle.” We believe all our students will grow into confident, resilient, and proactive members of the Po Tong community.

In fact, Hong Kong enjoys the unique advantage of connecting with the world while being rooted in our motherland. Therefore, our teachers and I hope that students will not only understand our nation’s history and development but also foster a global perspective. As an international city, Hong Kong increasingly demands talents who are well-versed in both our country and the world. Thus, another major concern for the next three years will be “to cultivate students’ strong sense of national and global identity.” We hope all students can embody the spirit of "Embracing the Motherland, Gazing at the World."

Today is a great opportunity for me to introduce China’s first astronaut, Yang Li-wei. In the 1980s, Mr. Yang joined the Air Force Aviation College and graduated with outstanding results, serving as a pilot in the national air force. During his service, he held positions such as squadron leader and navigation officer, flying various types of aircraft, including fighter jets, and accumulating 1,350 hours of safe flight. His exceptional skills earned him the rank of first-class pilot. In 1996, China began selecting astronauts from the military. Yang, with his outstanding performance, stood out among 1,500 candidates after undergoing rigorous selection, physical examinations, and assessments. In 1998, he became one of the first 14 astronauts in China, gathering at the Beijing Astronaut Training Centre to undergo unprecedented and gruelling training. Over the next five years, Mr. Yang initially received foundational theoretical training, followed by technical training for space missions. He studied over thirty courses covering topics from flight dynamics and aerodynamics to geophysics, astrophysics, rocket propulsion, and spaceflight control, leaving no stone unturned. His technical training involved strict controls and challenges, including tests of high gravitational loads that often pushed the limits of human endurance. Additionally, astronauts had to experience emergency scenarios in a reservoir, such as water egress and survival in the wilderness, to develop the ability to turn crises into opportunities. Throughout five years of intense training, Mr. Yang demonstrated an incredibly strong will, consistently ranking first in three rigorous assessments, ultimately becoming one of the three selected astronaut candidates. On the eve of his launch in 2003, during the final training and evaluation phase, Mr. Yang was chosen as China’s first astronaut to venture into space due to his stable psychological condition.

On 15th October, 2003, everything was ready at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre, and the Shenzhou 5 spacecraft successfully launched under the propulsion of a Long March 2F rocket, entering orbit ten minutes later. Mr. Yang spent 21 hours in space, orbiting the Earth 14 times before safely landing on the Inner Mongolia grasslands. This mission marked a new era for China’s space technology, making China the third country in the world, after the United States and the former Soviet Union, to send humans into space. As China’s first astronaut, Mr. Yang faced numerous challenges during his journey but overcame them all, successfully completing his mission and inspiring the hearts of all Chinese people. Mr. Yang’s years of hard training and relentless effort exemplify a spirit of perseverance and determination that deserves to be admired by all of us.

As we begin this school year, I hope everyone learns from good role models to set new goals and aspirations. Achieving these objectives requires effort and dedication. Remember, effort and diligence will ultimately lead to success. With determination and concrete, well-planned action, step by step, you will surely reach your goals.

Wishing everyone a fruitful and enjoyable new academic year!

Thank you!

Principal Lo Kwok Leung

September 2024