Clean idea sweeps up creativity award

Creative school activities - including painting toilet doors - can enhance the relationship between teachers, students and parents, according to the Secretary for Education and Manpower.

At the recent Best School Activities award presentation, Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun told a packed audience: 'Under the education reforms, students should not only learn from textbooks, but also through extra-curricular activities.

'More creative school activities can also help maintain a good relationship between teachers, students and parents.'

The event, organised by Commercial Radio Hong Kong, aims to encourage students to be more enthusiastic about their studies, improve their communication skills and to be innovative.

It asked principals, teachers, students and parents to vote for their best extra-curricular activities.

Tai Po Sung Tak Wong Kin Sheung Memorial School's 'Be Close to the Toilet' won the award for being one of the most creative school activities.

Teacher Lam chor-wai said he conceived the idea when he was studying in Taiwan.

He said students there took great pride in keeping their school grounds clean - including the toilets.

As a result of the activity, staff had noted that the Tai Po school's toilets were cleaner than ever before.

A panel of judges selected the best 15 schools' activities from 124 entries.

The awards included Best School Activity on Enhancing Communication, Best School Activity on Enhancing Responsibility, Most Creative School Activity, Most Cheerful School Activity, Best School Activity on Enhancing Learning Efficiency and Most Favourable School Activity.

Tik Chi-yuen, one of the adjudicators and chairman of the Committee on Home-School Co-operation, said it was important that school activities allowed teachers and students to get together outside the classroom.

The problem of teenage suicides, he believed, could be solved by better communication between teachers and students and a good relationship between parents and children.

Jacky is a summer intern from Hong Kong Shue Yan College