Hongkongers sometimes jokingly refer to Discovery Bay as 'delivery bay', and for good reason. Young children make up a large percentage of the Lantau Island enclave's population, leading to an increasing need for after-school educational services.
As a former relief teacher and working mother, Sally Conti Law understands exactly how challenging homework and school projects can be to both students and their parents, particularly when both mum and dad work long hours with little time to spare to supervise schoolwork.
She explains: 'Having lived in Discovery Bay for a long time, I've seen the community grow, with more and more children and a real need for an English-language tuition centre. It's troublesome for DB kids to go to Central for help with their schoolwork, and with the new ESF [English School Foundation] school opening here soon, the need is growing even bigger.'
Together with five business partners, Ms Law founded the dual-purpose Time to Learn centre a few months ago.
Time to Learn offers an innovative homework club, providing a quiet and focused environment for children aged from about eight to 16 to do their homework in the presence of qualified teachers, who can help them with course material and explain difficult concepts.
Ms Law stresses that this is mainly a space for children to do their homework away from the distractions of TV, games and siblings. Apart from providing a structured environment for homework when parents are not at home, the supervising teachers take individual needs into account. One member of the homework club, for example, will soon take her A-level exams, and needs maths guidance. The parents of one six-year-old member of the homework club simply want him to practise his English-language conversation skills.
