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Elaine Yau

The Four DRAGONS  may look like rebels, but actually they sing praises of school.

When the four  18-year-olds heard that their former secondary school was to be closed, they were shocked. They staged a musical play on campus to  remind students to treasure their school days.

'Enjoy your school life and treasure the time you spend with your classmates and teachers,' the band said.

Wat Leung-ming, the group's former teacher  at Caritas Shatin Marden Foundation Secondary School (CSMFSS),  was touched by how her former students have changed.

'When they were in Form Three, I was their social studies teacher. They were naughty and had major discipline problems,' said Ms Wat.

'Although they still look rebellious, they are much more mature now.'

Recalling their school days, the four came up with a list of misdeeds which included truancy, tardiness, vandalism and violent fights.

'Once, to prove to my classmates how daring I was,  I threw a desk and chair out the classroom window,' said lead singer Sit Tsz-lung.

Drummer Ng Yiu-ting also has a 'delinquent' record.

'I got more than 60 demerits in Form Three. I was late for school so many times that I lost count,' said Ng.

A Band Three school in Sha Tin,  CSMFSS  is used to  unruly students.

'Many students come from low-income families and they have low academic achievement and little motivation to learn,' said principal Lee Chi-shing.

Instead of only focusing on students' academic performance, the school  adopts a holistic approach to learning.

'We encourage students to develop artistic interests, such as music and art.

'Other schools see rebellious students as troublemakers. But they're just venting their anger and frustration  with the exam-oriented education system,' said Mr Lee.

The school offers all kinds of interest classes so that students who do not excel academically can develop their other talents.

When the school set up the band Teen Hits, they became a success. The Four Dragons are former Teen Hits members.

'After we set up  the band,  many students go to the studio to play guitar and drums after school. They may lack interest in studying, but they show great enthusiasm for music. With a goal to pursue, many students changed after joining the band,' said Mr Lee.

Sadly, because  there are not enough students, the school will stop admitting Form One students next year and close in 2008.

The Four Dragons' play, Our Big Stage, was an attempt  to capture their bittersweet memories of school life.

'Exams and homework gave us nightmares,  but we have plenty of good memories: friendships with our classmates and encouragement from our teachers,' said bass guitarist Chiu Chun-ho. 'Despite our poor academic performance, our teachers and classmates never gave up on us.'

The Four Dragons hoped that students would cherish their school life after watching their play and listening to their songs.

'Many Hong Kong students don't have a sense of belonging to their school. As soon as the bell rings, they rush to leave,' said guitarist and composer Chan Kwok-wai. 'When we heard that our school would be closing, we regretted not cherishing our school days.

'We often appreciate things only after we've lost them.'

To learn more about The Four Dragons and their play, visit www.xanga.com/four_dragons



Rebels with a cause