Christian Zheng Sheng College (Chinese: ??????? ) is a private school in Hong Kong founded by the Christian Zheng Sheng Association (ZSA). The founder and principle is Chan Siu Cheuk (Alman Chan). The school aims to improve problem students with drug addiction and other issues that use life education.
Video Christian Zheng Sheng College
History and funding
The college was founded in 1985 as a drug addiction treatment center, and was registered as a private school in 1998. The college is the only Hong Kong educational institution dedicated to helping reform young drug offenders. As a private school, this school does not receive any subsidies from the Education Bureau. Public donations account for less than 10 percent of funding needs. According to press reports, teachers are paid 80% of their salary, principals are paid 60% of their salary, and the budget for each student is only one-third of that for special students in subsidized institutions. School fees and dormitory fees from schools are the main source of income for the Zheng Sheng Association, but ZSA discloses that schools operate on an aggregate break even over the past 11 years.
The Next Magazine Gossip magazine created a furore when it published allegations that ZSA had investments worth HK $ 35.2 million (US $ 4.5 million) on land and Japan, some of them said to be "questionable". The Association then said that its investment in restaurants, teahouses and farms serves as a workplace where students can gain work experience. He explained that he had registered his business address, now a brothel site, in 2007 but had moved after the change of operation but had ignored the registration. ICAC raided Alma Chan's association, school and residence on 21 August. Documents were taken as part of their investigation. Next continues to allege that Zheng Sheng's deeds are false, that subsidiary operations in Japan are a business entity involved in real estate investment, elderly homes in Chaozhou are very bad and empty, and that children in the orphanage her upbringing in Henan starved from time to time and was often forced to do work. Heung Yee Kuk's head, Lau Wong-fat, also called on the government to launch an investigation into the torture of Zheng Sheng College's rehabilitation schools.
The school is now considering separating its accounts from its parent organization, said board member Professor Daniel Shek Tan-lei. Shek also requested the return of documents taken by ICAC. Professor Daniel Shek is involved in many aspects of this story. He is a board member of Christian Zheng Sheng College and chair of ACAN, the Committee on Action against Narcotics [1] a government agency that advises the Hong Kong Drug Bureau. It was ACAN in June 2009 that proposed a move from Christian Zheng Sheng College to Mui Wo area. Professor Shek also, in his role as Chairman of ACAN is responsible for significant fundraising for the Christian Zheng Sheng Association. Professor Shek also continues to be a member of the ICAC Citizens' Advisory Committee on Public Relations [2].
In December 2009, Shek resigned from the council to eliminate the risk of a conflict of interest; school principal Alman Chan said that the average monthly contribution to the association had fallen to about HK $ 70,000 a month compared to HK $ 110,000 before the investigation, saying that this would affect the Lunar New Year visit by a group of orphaned children to Hong Kong.
On March 22, 2010, ICAC wrote a written statement to the college informing ICAC that there was no evidence of fraud or corruption. ICAC has stopped further investigation and closed the case. Furthermore, ICAC apologizes for causing public anxiety towards college.
Maps Christian Zheng Sheng College
Student
The existing school can accommodate 30 students; as of June 2009 there were 123 students. 90% of the students are ordered to go to school with court decisions, and most are former drug addicts, with others having smuggled, burglarized and other crimes. The students are trying to improve themselves to prepare for a new life in society. Students with good performance can re-enter a conventional secondary school elsewhere in Hong Kong. According to Principal Alman Chan, 90% of Form 5 school graduates do not return to drugs, and most have no problems in finding a job.
The majority (100 out of 120) students receive funding from the Hong Kong Government. According to the Department of Social Welfare receives about HK $ 1 million taxpayers' money each month. The money is meant to support around 100 of 120 students, with each getting about HK $ 10,000 in alms payments.
Campus life
College is a boarding school. Students stay for an average of three years. In addition to learning and revising, students engage in vocational training to prepare for new life. They help in cooking and washing. Air conditioning and a water heater are not available. The campus is located on the Peninsula of Chi Ma Wan, Lantau Island, accessed by kai-to from Cheung Chau or by road from lantau.
The dormitory on the main campus can only accommodate 72 people, so some students live in additional school dormitories in Cheung Chau and take the kai-to access the main campus. The desks and bookcases are handmade by the students. There are only eight toilets on campus. Campus has a wargame field, built and maintained by students. A rock on a slope facing the campus poses a threat to the school.
The school also has a fast food shop that sells pizza at Cheung Chau.
Proposal for relocation
The college submitted a relocation application to the government in 2007. Four government departments, including the Bureau of Education and Narcotics Division, have agreed in principle to relocate the rehabilitation school for cash-strapped medicine from Chi Ma Wan to New Heung Yee Kuk District South Middle School Site in Mui Wo in Lantau has not been used since 2007. Vocal protests from local residents about the relocation caused widespread discussions in Hong Kong. They further argue that the site should be given to start high school, because their children are currently required to travel for 2-3 hours a day to reach another school. They protested to express their opposition, often mobilizing their children. The protest march held between 600-800 people. They were widely criticized for labeling Zheng Sheng students as "addicts," and being selfish about their opposition. An editorial in The Standard says the opposition is a 'general' mentality not behind me. However, a member of the rural committee said that a negative report about college would help their struggle for an empty school site.
After a government survey showing 90% of opposition by residents, the government sponsored a meeting in Mui Wo on June 14 to present the relocation plans and future universities. The meeting was attended by about 200 local residents. The school said that relocation is necessary because the existing place is crowded, and there are security issues. Colleges have more than twice the number of students than it should accommodate. The school superintendent announces his desire to settle in Mui Wo, stating: "We are not outsiders but part of it." His representatives' statements, and his government were filled with ridicule when residents protested against school premises. Some residents expressed animosity towards students, calling them "addicts", and causing some to cry. Ambrose Security Secretary Lee Siu-kwong said: "The government understands how local people feel, but colleges have a positive contribution to re-educating young drug abusers."
Legislative and Governmental Council
Chief Executive Donald Tsang expressed hope that local communities can help young drug addicts return to society. He said, "... young people sometimes get lost... I wish the Hong Kong community in general, and the Mui Wo community in particular, can embrace these young people with love and give them a second chance." However, the government was criticized by members of the district districts for lack of consultation on school relocation. Secretary of the secretarial assistant secretary of the Security Bureau (narcotics) said 50 rural sites have been evaluated, with few being able to meet the requirements of rehabilitation schools.
Leading people, including government officials, have expressed their support for Zheng Sheng College. Democrats pan issued a joint statement supporting the decision on relocation; 35 members of the Legislative Council signed a letter expressing support for the transfer, sent to the Chief Executive on June 19, 2009.
Julie Chen from the Education Bureau said Mui Wo had only 24 Primary One students and 50 Secondary One students in 2009, not enough to qualify for high school. However the water catchment area for secondary schools will take in other villages in southern Lantau (Pui O, Tong Fuk) and Peng Chau Island. According to government figures, the population of Mui Wo and the nearby district is 5,200 in 2006, of which 1,096 are elementary, middle and university students. Since only 86 students chose to study at school, who used Mandarin as a medium of instruction, in 2006-07, it was closed in 2007.
School
After the protest of the resident Mui Wo, the students wrote to residents Mui Wo and Heung Yee Kuk express regrets for their past mistakes, and begged to be allowed to move to their new location.
Schools fear controversy will delay relocation. Supervisor Jacob Lam Hay-sing said: "[Students] are part of the community and we can not alienate them They need a formal school to accommodate them and we can not accept any place Do not forget there may be several thousand drug addicts in school formal. "
Following a petition organized by a pan democrat, the principal expressed concern that such politicization by pan-democrats could actually backfire at school.
Alternate plan
Mui Wo's Rural Committee has advised 17 locations to the College. The committee also suggested that schools expand on their own sites. However, Alman Chan has shown that such a plan is impossible because of his position in the valley with a bit of flat ground. He also pointed out that this would involve costly explosions and land rights issues. However, to date both the government and Zheng Sheng College have published formal selection criteria [3]
Heung Yee Kuk, who was asked by the government to mediate the dispute, suggested nine alternative school locations. Alman Chan revealed that he is open to suggestions, but argues that the Mui Wo campus suits the best college needs, and that he hopes the new campus can enjoy a better relationship with Cheung Chau.
Daniel Lam, chair of the District Council of Islands, proposed drug addiction treatment centers in Hei Ling Chau and Shek Kwu Chau, two other islands near Lantau, as possible. Alman Chan commented that college is a non-drug-addicted school, hoping that colleges can be adjacent to smaller communities, to facilitate social work for students. He will not comment further because the Government has not stated prose on the site. The last point of the South Area Heung Yee Kuk High School Area also suggests using an empty plot behind the campus.
References
External links
- Official website
- Alternatives
Source of the article : Wikipedia
0 Comments