During the interview, she never brought up topics such as the school's enrolment rates, admission statistics, or the size of the refurbished sports facilities. Instead, she frequently referred to terms such as like "exploration", "character", "joyful education", and "Chinese and Western culture". In contrast to the adults depicted in The Little Prince, Dr Chan, as an educator, values the essence of things rather than superficial numbers.  

Walking through Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong SAR is like entering the educational world of Dr Betty Chan Po-king. The Yew Chung Yew Wah kindergarten, primary school, and secondary school are located among the century-old western-style houses, southward along Kent Road to To Fuk Road.  

At the entrance of each YCYW campus is “7:30 a.m.”, a bronze statue of an elderly woman surrounded by three children. The statue commemorates Dr Betty Chan Po-king 's mother, Madam Tsang Chor-hang, affectionately known as “Hau Cheung Po Po”. For decades, she greeted students at 7:30 a.m. every morning at the school gate. In the sculpture, one child is sitting and tying his shoelaces, doing his own thing, while another child is happily holding Hau Cheung Po Po's hand, as if responding to her, “Good morning!” 

Almost a century ago in 1927, when China suffered domestic problems and foreign aggression, Tsang Chor-hang was 16 years old. She was motivated by the times to save her country. In 1932, she thus established the first Yew Chung School to “honouring  China”. Throughout her life, she led Yew Chung through the difficult years of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the post-war turmoil, and nurtured generations of students, including her daughter, Betty Chan Po-king. 

In the 1970s, Dr Chan returned to Hong Kong, China after studying early childhood education in the United States and assumed the leadership of the Yew Chung schools from her mother.  Dr Chan revolutionised early childhood education in Hong Kong, China, by promoting the concept of “learning through play". Building on the success of Yew Chung International Schools (YCIS), Dr Chan and her husband, Professor Paul Yip Kwok-wah, established the Yew Wah International Education Schools (YWIES) in 1998 to serve students in the Chinese mainland.

YCYW now has a history of more than 90 years. Beginning as a small kindergarten in Mong Kok, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, YCYW has become a comprehensive education system that includes kindergartens, primary schools, secondary schools, and a college. Its campuses are located in Hong Kong, SAR, Shanghai, Beijing, Guangzhou, Qingdao, Yantai, Chongqing, Zhejiang Tongxiang, as well as in Silicon Valley, US, and Somerset, UK. Under the leadership of Dr Chan, YCYW has achieved extensive reach and influence. 

During the interview, she never brought up topics such as the school's enrolment rates, admission statistics, or the size of the refurbished sports facilities. Instead, she frequently referred to terms such as "exploration", "character", "joyful education", and "Chinese and Western culture". In contrast to the adults depicted in The Little Prince, Dr Chan, as an educator, values the essence of things rather than superficial numbers. 

During the discussion at the secondary school of YCIS Hong Kong, Dr Chan wore an elegant silk scarf and stylish, black-framed glasses—this has become her signature style. When speaking with others, she is modest and occasionally nods slightly. 

In the 1970s, when Dr Chan introduced advanced concepts of "Child-Centred" education and "Learning through Play" to Hong Kong, China, she faced an educational system dominated by rote learning. Dr Chan was very concerned about what she saw: children sitting in rows in kindergartens and being taught writing and mathematics. The early childhood education philosophy she promoted—which focused on play, and did not involve textbooks and homework—was met with widespread scepticism from parents.  

Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung, President Emeritus of the Hong Kong Institute of Education (now known as The Education University of Hong Kong), once remarked that Dr Chan's teaching philosophy, which integrates learning through play, was very avant-garde for Hong Kong, China in the 1970s and 1980s. In the past, Hong Kong society had long neglected the training of early childhood educators. Many people thought that kindergartens merely taught young children to sing, dance, and do some crafts and artwork. Society did not pay enough attention to systematically guiding children during their early years to develop their curiosity and exploratory skills, as well as their ability to interact with others and their environment. Kindergratens did not enlighten the children or foster their psychological growth, interpersonal skills, and qualities such as empathy and compassion.  

When Dr Chan first led Yew Chung Kindergarten, only two children were enrolled. By the end of the semester, the number had risen to 60. By the second semester, however, half of the children had transferred to a neighbouring kindergarten because that school assigned homework and used textbooks. At that time, parents of young children preferred such practices.

"My heart broke when I saw students in Yew Chung uniforms go to the neighbouring kindergarten to enrol. We had no parents or students in front of Yew Chung." To alleviate the concerns of parents, Dr Chan worked tirelessly to teach the parents first. The parents would enrol their children at Yew Chung only after completing four sessions and reaching a consensus on educational philosophy.   

“My first lesson about children’s growth was to tell parents about the importance of development before the age of 12. A child's independence, communication skills, ability to interact with friends, and creative thinking are all essential for their development. It is crucial for children to build their self-esteem, self-confidence, and perspicacity during their early years. If we miss this stage, we will have to make up for it with much more intense efforts later.” 

Dr Chan has made great efforts to promote her philosophy of early childhood education. She has served as the keynote speaker for early childhood education programmes on Radio Television Hong Kong, organised various cultural exchange conferences, and published books and other publications. In 1989, as the chairperson of the Preparatory Committee, she organised the "International Symposium on Early Childhood Education in the 21st  Century" in Hong Kong, China. This was the first global conference focused on education for infants and toddlers aged 0 to 3, and it attracted more than 500 scholars in fields such as economics, sociology, and education, from various countries.  

Because of the efforts of Dr Chan and her team, the Yew Chung approach to early childhood education gradually gained widespread acclaim in Hong Kong SAR. By the 1980s, the demand for enrolment in Yew Chung's two schools had outstripped available places. Some pregnant women even registered their children before they were born. Dr Chan needed to temporarily rent two additional school spaces. By 1987, Yew Chung expanded its educational offerings from kindergarten to primary school. "The reason for starting a primary school was that parents said their children would be unhappy transitioning from Yew Chung's kindergarten to other primary schools," she said with a smile.

Recalling the difficult pioneering period, Dr Chan said that she had never thought about giving up.  “Seeing the development of the children and their future has been the driving force for us to continue moving forward”.  

The first page of the 1975 publication Early Childhood Education at Yew Chung has a short poem by Magda Gerber:  

“Please let me grow in my own way. 

And try to understand why I want to grow like me. 

Not like my mother wants me to be.  

Not like my father hopes I will be.  

Or like my teacher thinks I should be.  

Please understand and help me grow just like me."  

Dr Chan believes that children deserve our respect and admiration; they are capable and trustworthy. "Education is like planting seeds. You should not worry about what they will grow into. You only need to ensure that the soil has sufficient nutrients, and they will all sprout and grow. One must not hasten the growth of seedlings; this is the importance of early childhood education."  

YCYW has incorporated such concepts into the 12 Values of the Yew Chung approach to early childhood education. This pedagogy has provided clear goals and directions for YCYW’s teaching practice for decades. 

For example, when Dr Chan interviews teachers, she always asks candidates this question: How do you view children? Dr Chan’s own answer is that every child is different, and that all children need to be nurtured gradually in ways that suit them best. This nurturing must provide a sense of security, self-confidence, skills in decision-making and critical thinking, rather than simply focusing on piano, painting, literacy, and pronunciation. 

At Yew Wah International Education Kindergartens, children have the autonomy to be in charge of their own daily activities. They can choose what games to play, participate in various activities initiated by the teachers, serve themselves during meals, and prepare their own beds for naps. In short, children are trusted; they can take control of their activities and surroundings at the kindergartens. This is the type of school environment Dr Chan has created to allow children to play and learn in a comfortable, relaxed, and positive manner.

The teaching plans of YCYW explicitly state that the leaders during free play should be the children themselves, not the teachers. An early childhood education teacher at YCIS Shanghai, once documented the following observation. Two children encountered each other on a narrow path while stepping on footprint stickers on the ground; they had a standoff because both wanted to move first. After waiting about two minutes, one child suggested using "rock-paper-scissors" to determine who would go first. This successfully broke the deadlock.

"This incident made me realise that education is the transmission of attitudes and values, and one purpose is to cultivate children's problem-solving abilities. The two minutes of reflection allowed the children to find a solution for the problem, experience the satisfaction of resolving it fairly, and accumulate important experience for their future life paths," the teacher remarked. 

A mathematics teacher from YWIES Guangzhou still remembers how he felt when he first participated in the training for new teachers: "I thought the sessions would just teach us how to conduct classes, introduce the curriculum, and cover technical aspects. To my surprise, the discussion topics were: Who is the educator? Who controls the process of knowledge dissemination? What is globalisation of education? Should teachers educate for individuals, or for society? I was taken aback by such a broad perspective, and I realised this was indeed a professional team and part of a forward-looking organisation."  

This is precisely the significance of education that Dr Chan has been thinking about for a long time. In her opinion, the true meaning of education involves nurturing future generations for society. As educators, we must always be energetic and curious.  

Before Children's Day on 1 June 2024, YCYW launched the simplified Chinese version of The Yew Chung Approach to Early Childhood Education. According to Dr Chan, this signifies that early childhood education theories developed in China through practical experience have received international recognition, and that the wisdom of the Chinese people can contribute to the development of global education.    

Dr Betty Chan Po-king's niece, Dr Esther Chan, joined YCYW after graduating with a PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge in 2013. She is now YCYW’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer. Dr Esther Chan still vividly remembers some details about her early school days. Every morning, she and her sister would sit on either side of their grandmother, Madam Tsang Chor-hang, and arrive at school before 7:30 a.m. Along the way, their grandmother would often remind them to greet their teachers and classmates.  

A simple greeting of "Good morning" was a lifelong practice of Madam Tsang Chor-hang. This activity has also been written into the “Principal's Handbook of YCYW” to pass on to future generations. Principals must arrive at school the earliest each day to welcome every student at the entrance.  

“We want the children to see that the principal welcomes them back to school, and it is essential to convey the respect that we have for them.” Dr Betty Chan Po-king emphasised. , “Respect is not one-sided, however. We also teach children to be polite and respond when others greet them.” 

Character development is always at the core of “child-centred” YCYW. 

When students celebrate their birthdays at school, Dr Chan deliberately guides them. She discourages them from holding a party where everyone gives gifts and focuses on them. Instead, Dr Chan reminds the students: “Think about those who have helped you the most and thank them on your birthday.”

A teacher at YWIES Beijing Yizhuang, still remembers a question from the job interview: "The interviewer asked me how I get along with my family. As soon as I heard this, I thought it was an excellent question. It allowed the interviewer to understand what kind of person I am. Only when you know what kind of person I am, could you determine whether I would have a positive influence on my students in terms of character." 

Dr Chan believes that character education is a lifelong endeavour. "In the future society, we hope that parents will not be satisfied only by having their children gain admission to a “good” university. We should focus on their quality of life during university and after graduation. Will they lead a happy life? Or will they regard earning a lot of money as their sole purpose? Every parent needs to think about this question."

This is what Dr Chan regards as the greatest attribute of YCYW students: The joy derived from a happy and confident environment, and the satisfaction of finding answers on their own.  

In 1991, when Mr Yuan Cai, then Director of Shanghai's Education Bureau, visited YCIS Hong Kong, he saw a seven-year-old blond boy reciting in Chinese a famous Chinese poem by the great Chinese poet, Li Bai. This prompted him to remark, "This is what true international education is." He later recommended to the Shanghai Municipal People’s Government that Yew Chung should be allowed to establish an international school in Shanghai. The YCIS Shanghai was founded in 1993, and became the first independent international school approved by the Chinese Government. 

Most people associate international education with Western education, but that is not the kind of international education YCYW provides. 

According to Dr Chan, the definition of International Education is not simply “Western Education”, nor is it specific to any country's education system, or any foreign school, or having more expatriates and English classes. Instead, “International Education is about integrating the essence of Eastern and Western cultures; cultivating a new generation that can understand the unique values of all cultures; and teaching students effectively to utilise diverse cultural resources to deal with future challenges." 

To achieve this balance of the two cultures, each YCYW school has one Western Co-Principal and one Chinese Co-Principal, and also employs a School Business Manager, This forms a "troika", which oversees the school's teaching, management, and operations together. The structure allows students to experience an environment closer to the actual global setting, and understand that society needs talent that can integrate Eastern and Western elements. 

The data from recent years indicate that more than 60 percent of the Yew Chung students have passed the exams for the International Baccalaureate Bilingual Diploma (IBDP). This compares very favourly with the global average—only 26.18 percent of the IBDP candidates have passed the exams during the past five years. At Yew Chung schools, most students select Chinese and English for their bilingual study.  

At the beginning of the 2023-2024 academic year, YCYW established the EdFutures Division,  which has invited many experts, not merely to give one-off lectures, but also to conduct experiments and have discussions with the students. For example, in March 2023, after a week of experiments identifying fundamental particles, students engaged in discussions with researchers from the European Council for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory (Fermilab) about the impact of this field of research on quantum computing, medical imaging, and deep space communication.  

The other purpose of establishing the EdFutures Division is to help prepare students to connect with the real world. In our society, with its highly developed AI, how should we cultivate the future competitiveness of our students? Dr Chan noted that, "In the past, most of our students were trained to become excellent test-takers to meet exam requirements. However, as future users of AI tools, our students need to master high-level questioning skills. Students need to make the transformation from outstanding answerers to skilled questioners."

Dr Troy Lui, the Chief Education Officer of the YCYW, got to know Dr Betty Chan by learning tai chi from the same teacher. He marvelled at how Dr Chan has remained so consistent over the decades, "She really hasn’t changed much." When they practised, tai chi, she asked the most questions and paid great attention to details. As a colleague, Dr Lui has frequently witnessed her meticulous and unwavering dedication. 

Dr Lui sees in Dr Chan a charisma that combines the qualities of "a stern father and a caring mother", and he admires her "remarkable perseverance." Once Dr Chan has decided something, she will resolutely forge ahead, no matter how high the investment or the many obstacles around her.

When YCYW opened its first school in Beijing in the 1990s, the organisation faced a situation similar to that it has experienced in Hong Kong, China, with very few enrolments. Yet, Dr Chan never felt discouraged. "If you want to achieve something, everything requires much effort. If you hope to succeed but are not steadfast and focused, how can you be successful?" 

The school was located near Red Scarf Park. Dr Chan remembers hurriedly preparing for the school’s opening, but still finding time to watch people practising tai chi and fishing in the park as she passed by. 

"Everything has its own pace. Because we are educating students, not merely buying groceries from a market, parents also need time to understand and accept our school. As long as we do a good job, with all our effort and devotion, and sincerely serve the local community by providing high-quality education, people will recognise what we have achieved." 

Over the years, Dr Esther Chan has gained a deeper appreciation for Dr Betty Chan’s unwavering commitment to education and every student. Dr Ester Chan explained: "In her eyes, running a school is not just a business, it has a far more worthy meaning than commercial considerations. Some of our schools have continued to be in operation for 20 years, while other schools might have closed long ago. Why haven't we? Because our school supervisor is devoted to education. Once we open a school, we have a mission to continue until the end." 

Ms Zhu Muju, former Deputy Director-General of the Department of Basic Education at the Ministry of Education and Advisor to the Academic Committee of the Chinese Society of Education, has known Dr Chan since the 1980s, and calls her "a pioneer in education."

Commenting on what motivates her to persevere, Dr Chan gave a simple and clear reply, "Education work is necessary for society, it is what I should do. I have devoted my whole life to education. If we have the ability, we must work hard for future generations in order to give them a good education and a promising future." 

Source: Southern People Weekly, 22 August 2024