Dear Parents and Students,
Welcome back to school as we embark on a new academic year.
I am sure that over the summer holidays, many of us felt a sense of unease. From record-breaking heatwaves and devastating floods around the globe, to the recent catastrophic landslides in Tibet and Nepal, the ongoing list of natural disasters continues to grow, leaving us with an urgent warning —our planet is undergoing profound change. This is not merely a climate alert; it is a vital lesson that life itself is teaching us: the landscapes we take for granted can vanish in an instant, and what we assume to be "certainty" is, in truth, mere "chance."
This summer, I too had a profound reminder of this truth. During just the one week that I spent in Japan, the country was hit by successive earthquakes and floods. A safe journey, I realised, is never something to be taken for granted. In that moment, I was grateful for my own fortune, yet acutely aware of how small we humans are in the face of nature. When disaster strikes, we cannot command the wind and rain, nor can we predict when the earth will tremble. So what, then, can we control? The answer came to me with clarity: we can control the present, we can shape today, and we can choose how we live each tomorrow.
The world is changing at an astonishing pace. Artificial intelligence, big data, and robotics have advanced more in a single year than over the past two decades. Technology indeed opens up infinite possibilities, yet I would urge every student to remember this: learning about technology should not merely be about keeping up with the times—it must also be about asking yourselves, "How can I use these abilities to make a difference in the world?"
Not by chasing applause on social media, nor by obsessing over views and engagement. Rather, we should ask, for example: How can we use AI to predict disasters and help more people reach safety in time? How can we deploy robots for rapid rescue and save lives trapped beneath the rubble? Though natural disasters are unpredictable, human compassion is boundless, and human ingenuity has purpose. We cannot control the storm, but we can build stronger shelters; we cannot stop an earthquake, but we can develop more responsive early-warning systems. Using data to tackle social problems, advancing national development through science and technology, supporting the underprivileged, fostering a more harmonious and resilient society, and enhancing the well-being and fulfilment of our people—these are the true values of technology.
Pooi To will review and enhance its senior secondary curriculum in science and mathematics, encouraging students with a passion for these subjects to pursue them and build a solid foundation. The school has also established a "Digital Education Task Force" to map out the overall direction of AI education in school, ensuring effective implementation and gradually integrating AI into teaching, learning, and assessment across all subjects.
Dear students, I hope you will not underestimate yourselves. Even though you are still students, with limited resources, as long as you carry a kind heart, maintain curiosity and imagination, and dare to try, explore, and create—every small, selfless act of integrity you perform can become a force that changes the world.
Dear parents, I sincerely invite you to walk hand in hand with us on this journey of growth. In these changing times, the most precious gift we can give our children is not a forecast of the future, but the courage to face the unknown, taught by our own example, and a heart willing to serve others.
As the new school year begins, may we all carry forward this spirit of reflection and awareness, and walk with our school theme this year “Integrity in Action, Purity in Heart”, cherishing the present, embracing change, and with wisdom and compassion, co-writing a brighter future together.
The future is in our hands. Let us work towards it, together.
Best Regards,
C. Cheung
