Hong Kong protest chaos drives departing Education University boss Frederick Ma to run character classes for young people

Ma will step down as council chairman to focus on offering character education courses to young people

The former commerce minister believes youngsters ‘should learn how to show respect and gratitude’

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Frederick Ma says he will leave his post as council chairman of the Education University by the end of the year. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

Published: 2:30pm, 23 Apr 2020Updated: 3:52pm, 23 Apr 2020

Education University chief Frederick Ma Si-hang has revealed he will step down after chaotic scenes during the anti-government protests in Hong Kong last year motivated him to embark on a new career offering free character classes to the city’s disadvantaged youth.

Mirroring his departure from the helm of railway giant MTR Corporation in 2018, he declined to stay as the university’s council chairman for another term despite an invitation from city leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to do so.

In an interview with the Post, Ma said his decision to instead run education programmes instilling respect and other values in young people was largely triggered by what he had witnessed during the often-violent social unrest that erupted in June last year, despite his constant support for character education.

“These scenes struck me that Hong Kong needs better character education, especially for our third generation, where they can learn how to respect and to show gratitude,” he said, adding this had been taught well overseas but was not high on the agenda in the city.

Clashes break out between riot police and students at Chinese University in Sha Tin. Photo: Sam Tsang

“I’m not giving up on the university or the university students. But I see the need to nurture our younger generation with better character education,” the former commerce minister added.