26 September 2024

Dear Parents and Students,

Recently, I read about a case of someone who had decided to resort to any means possible to make money, highlighting the greed of human nature. The twisted and chilling behavior of the people involved challenged the bottom line of morality and law. Faced with a decline in moral standards, I once again affirm the importance of Pooi To in cultivating students' values. I hope that through education, students will be able to understand and distinguish right from wrong at an early age. As the Bible says: “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6)

The Bible also says: "A good name is better than great wealth; and favor is better than silver and gold." (Proverbs 22:1) "Good name" refers to a good reputation and good character, which is more important than the pursuit of wealth; and "favor" is the appreciation and recognition from others, which is valued by God and can bring us spiritual satisfaction. So, how can we start to develop our values and build character? We can understand the 13 core values from our school motto in God's "Faith, Hope and Love", thereby cultivating good character:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Love

  • The primary character is "Love". As the Bible teaches, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” (Luke 10:27) When people are humble, self-restrained and care for others as themselves, society will be able to understand and tolerate each other.
  • Love can produce "Empathy" and allow us to think more from the perspective of others.
  • Love also means "Filial Piety". There is an old saying: "Filial piety is the priority". This is not only a moral requirement, but a wise value to uphold. Paying attention to family relationships and caring about the needs of elders can promote family harmony.
  • Love enables people to have "Respect for Others", and tolerate different opinions and lifestyles. It lays the foundation for social harmony and stability.
  • More importantly, love can help to foster “Unity” in people's hearts, allowing them to face challenges together and enhance
    social cohesion.

Integrity

  • On "Integrity" the Bible says “A lying mouth is an abomination to the Lord, but he who walks truthfully is his delight.” (Proverbs 12:22) Keep your promises, be consistent in your words and deeds, and be able to be honest with yourself and others. If you do these things, you will eventually win the respect of others.
  • "Law-abidingness" is the basic responsibility of every citizen. By restricting individual behavior, we can protect the interests of the public and society and promote harmonious coexistence with each other.

Purity

  • Being "Noble" is also an important characteristic. The lotus has a noble character as Zhou Dunyi wrote in Love of the Lotus "coming out of the mud but not stained, washing the pure ripples without being evil".
  • "National Identity" helps us affirm and protect our "roots" in multiculturalism, and enhance our sense of belonging and responsibility to the country.

Perseverance

  • "Perseverance" is the basic character required to face difficulties and challenges. Whether in school or at work, "grit" motivates us to move forward courageously and pursue our goals. Many successful people use perseverance to overcome difficulties, strive for self-improvement, and realize their dreams.
  • The cornerstone of perseverance is "Diligence". Diligence does not emphasize working continuously, but learning to put what you have learned into action in daily life. The virtue of diligence is best cultivated through personal experience and practice.
  • "Responsibility" allows us to do our best in different aspects of life and positions, fulfill our responsibilities, and live up to our trust.
  • “Commitment” reminds us to try our best to do our part and actively think about how to strive for excellence. Furthermore, it means taking the initiative to take responsibility, or even having the courage to admit when you have made a mistake and then taking the initiative to correct it.

Developing character does not happen overnight. We need continuous practice to actively face the changes and challenges of growth and life, and to create a better future. Let’s encourage everyone.

 

Best regards,
Constance Cheung
Principal