The Best in Class
Students in Hong Kong are able to access the lauded Singaporean education system, outside of Singapore.
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Look no further than the Singapore International School of Hong Kong (SISHK). Supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education, the school has produced some of Hong Kong’s top students despite being a young school with a small student body.
This year, six SISHK students received a total of nine Outstanding Cambridge Learner Awards for excellent performances in the IGCSE examinations.
Three award winners – Alex Yu and twin sisters Justine and Kristy Chan, have families from Hong Kong. All three credit the school and its Singaporean influence for helping them get there.
“That is a big reason we came here, our parents all really admire the Singaporean education system and they wanted us to have that sort of influence,” said Alex, who was Top in the World Award for Global Perspectives. “A lot of our friends and teachers are from Singapore, and there is a distinct style of teaching which has really helped us succeed.”
The twins Justine and Kristy each had multiple awards. Kristy was top in Hong Kong for Biology and Chemistry, and Justine was top in Hong Kong in Information & Communication Technology, and won the “Best Across Eight Award”, meaning she had the best cumulative total marks across eight subjects in Hong Kong.
The students have been with the school since preparatory years and they could not be happier with their decisions to study in SISHK.
“I chose to stay here because of the loving and caring environment fostered by teachers,” said Justine, who delivered a speech at the Outstanding Learners Awards Ceremony about the importance of being a lifelong learner. “Here at SISHK, teachers really encourage you to pursue what you like. If you’re struggling, they take the time to help you improve and achieve your full potential. That kind of dedication is why I chose to stay.”
For Kristy, one reason was the tightknit community among students. “It really helps that we’re a small school, many of us have known each other since we were four years old. There are also great leaderships opportunities, co-curricular activities and councils, all of which help us hone our communication skills and grow as people.”
Although Kristy is very strong in science and literature subjects, she really struggles with mathematics. She recalled contacting her math teacher one night.
“I remember my teacher responding shortly after to reassure me and calm me down,” she said. “That’s the kind of teacher support you won’t find anywhere else.”
All three students have different strengths, passions and ambitions. Alex is passionate about maths and art, and is thinking of becoming an architect one day. Ironically, Justine’s favourite subjects are Biology and Chemistry – the two subjects her sister was top of Hong Kong, whereas Kristy doesn’t have a passion for either subject.
“My passion actually lies in service work,” said Kristy, who is part of the school’s Model United Nations programe and runs the school’s community council. “My favourite subjects are History and English.” Meanwhile, Justine hopes to combine her love of sciences with her interest in policy and looks to work in a field like public health.
Alex said one of SISHK’s best attributes is that the school cares about nurturing passions and allowing each individual to thrive; not just do well in exams.
“There’s a stereotype that Hong Kong and Singaporean families only care about exam results, but I’ve found it’s actually the opposite at this school,” he said. “There’s a lot of individual attention given to each student, and the teachers focus on teaching concepts that we can use for the rest of our lives and learning for the sake of learning, instead of focusing on memorizing facts for exams.”
“It’s why I think SISHK students are well-prepared for the working world,” Alex added.
Last, but not least, Kok Zi Suen, who won the Top in the World award for Mathematics (without coursework) echoed her classmates’ statements about SISHK’s incredibly caring teaching staff.
“I am extremely honoured to have won [the award], but I couldn’t have achieved it without the helping hands of my teachers, who have been so patient and understanding,” said Zi Suen, who is also part of the school’s Model United Nations programme. “For instance, my math teacher Mr Lian was always happy to take the time to discuss the nuances of more challenging questions and give out tips on exam technique.”
The school’s extra caring learning environment is felt not just by students, but parents too.
“SISHK has provided our daughter with the perfect environment to develop into a young lady who knows how to think and make wise decisions for herself,” said Mr Kok Che Yu, Zi Suen’s father.
Zi Suen has been blessed to have many excellent teachers who provide her with tireless guidance, and SISHK is fortunate to have its current principal who is forward-looking. This should pave the way for a more successful SISHK in the coming years.”
In addition, local Hong Kong students have the opportunity to study in the Secondary Section of SISHK on a full scholarship – as the school’s sponsoring body – the Singapore International School Foundation Limited (SISF) – recently introduced the SISF Ng Teng Fong Merit Scholarship.
Two of the scholarship awardees – Wong Mei Yue and Tan Hongrui – spoke about their experiences during the first year at their new school.
“SISHK has offered me numerous opportunities for both personal growth, and to give back to the community,” Mei Yue said. “I am very fortunate to have joined this welcoming community where I find friends and teachers who understand and support me along the way.”
Hongrui added: “I joined SISHK this year and I would just like to say, everyone in this school is great. My fellow students were all very friendly and the teachers are very helpful. Although I was new, everyone made me feel accepted, and I just really like studying here.”
Applications for the scholarships will be open until 15 March 2019. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/2VCPnnZ
