Physics instructor taught lessons in science, life

"You have to have the respect of your students," said Savio Fok Kin-keung, 73, who worked for more than 30 years at the Aberdeen Technical School in Wong Chuk Hang. But for some former pupils, Fok wasn't just their physics teacher: he was their mentor and inspiration.

Fok has been nominated for the self-sacrifice to achieve greater good category of the Spirit of Hong Kong Awards 2014 by the Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union. After retiring 13 years ago, Fok has remained keenly involved in the institution. The current principal, Fok's former pupil Peter Yu Lap-fun, said Fok had that innate ability to not only get the subject across but also build his pupils into young citizens ready to help others.

"When we were students we loved Mr Fok," Yu recalled. "He taught physics in an amusing and effective way. Many graduates enjoy coming back to see him again. Always, when we had difficulties at school, we would go and discuss them with Mr Fok."

Fok recalled a pupil in his class named Lee Ho-wai, who was hearing-impaired. As often happens with children, his classmates tended to be cruel towards him. "His classmates didn't respect him, so he had very low self-esteem," Fok recalled. So, during one lesson Fok lowered the volume on the microphone that he used in class to almost mute while he spoke. At the end of the session, he asked the pupils which of them had understood what he had said. Ho-wai was the only one to raise his hand.

After that, Fok said, the students had a better understanding of the obstacles their classmate faced and became more willing to help him. Ho-wai, he says, also recovered his self-esteem and remained in contact with Fok for years.

Fok also cited the example of a pupil called Chow Chung-chiu, who went to live in Mexico, where he married. Recently, Chow was back for a visit and reminded Fok of an incident 30 years ago, when as a pupil he stole HK$100 from a schoolmate.