Lo Yuk Kwong, Assistant Principal of CWCC, agrees. “In recent years, Hong Kong has seen a marked increase in the number of immigrants from all over the world,” Lo notes. “We have enhanced our teaching capabilities and developed various programmes to accommodate their needs.”

Flexibility and a seamless transition characterise CWCC’s integrated dual-mode curriculum that prepares students for the exams of the Hong Kong Diploma for Secondary Education (HKDSE) or the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) Advanced ‘A’ Level. “This approach lets our students have more options for their tertiary education, either locally, on the mainland or overseas,” Au says.

On top of the HKDSE curriculum, taught bilingually, students can choose the IGCSE curriculum starting from S4, depending on their capabilities. IGCSE subjects are taught in English. “Because nearly 70 percent of the two curricula are similar, our teachers can deliver seamless bridging,” Au says. “We start equipping our students for the exams from S1 to S3. Some students can choose to start taking some IGCSE exams from S4 onwards and proceed to the GCE A-level exams at S6.”

On-campus academic counsellors are available to help guide individual students to consider their different options, Au says. “Meanwhile, we have integrated elements from the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme, including project-based learning and practical application of knowledge for social good.”

iFuture

For the well-balanced whole-person development of ‘glocalised’ students, CWCC complements its academic programme with the unconventional ‘iFuture’ curriculum. The goal is to nurture and inspire its students’ commitment to unleashing their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit for social innovation and developing the “CWCC” traits - cheerful, warm, collaborative and confident.

For two lessons weekly, CWCC students immerse themselves in four aspects of the ‘iFuture’ curriculum: technology; sports; art, culture and tourism; and language. The school has collaborated with various large corporations, universities and professional organisations to deliver the “iFuture” curriculum. For instance, in technology, the school has a “Swift Coding Lab” powered by Apple and is one of the Microsoft Showcase Schools in Hong Kong. Teaching is supported by specialists from City University of Hong Kong.

While the school focuses on elevating its students’ knowledge and capabilities in coding, programming and IoT, it also emphasises service-learning and encourages students to use their skills to contribute to the society, Au says. “We focus the technology courses on social innovation. Our students are motivated to adopt design-thinking to develop empathy so that they are able to identify the needs of others.”

For instance, in collaboration with a non-government organisation, CWCC students have helped teach coding to students from other schools. Some have also participated in a programme in which they teach the elderly to use digital technology, organised by the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.

At CWCC, sports not only promote fitness and collaboration, but help build confidence as well. Among the ‘newly emerged sports’, Kabaddi helps South Asian students build their cultural confidence, Lo says, adding that Kabaddi has been popular in South Asia for thousands of years. “By entering competitions, our students from South Asia can see how locals enjoy the game. This helps promote social integration and build their confidence.”

The school also engages its students in balloon games, 3x3 basketball and cricket and has been upgrading its sports facilities. An enterprising spirit is cultivated through sports. For instance, the newly equipped esports room is aimed to inspire students to think about esports event management.

In the “Art, Culture and Tourism” sphere, CWCC students from South Asia have acted as guides at Tai Kwun in Central, using Cantonese to help local visitors. Not only has this activity exposed them to local culture, it’s also part of the service-learning that motivates them to help others, Lo says. “In the process, they have built their own identity and boosted their self-confidence.”

Under ‘glocalisation’, through the inculcation of the three Ls, ‘loving, learning and leading’, CWCC provides every student the opportunities to explore and identify their life goals. Every student matters, including those who may only live in the city for a few years because of their parents’ careers.

Lo recounts the experience of a student whose father is a consul general posted in Hong Kong. “Every few years the student was relocated to a different country with his family. Because he appeared a little bit lost, our counsellor approached him, aiming to inspire him to set his life goals. He was convinced and later discovered his talent for coding.”

To offer convenience for students living on outlying islands, CWCC provides shuttle bus service in Central and Wanchai.