To Serve and to Lead: A History of the Diocesan Boys' School in Hong Kong

7 Meeting New Challenges(2000 to the Present)

Meeting New Challenges (2000 to the Present) 141 With the turn of the millennium, DBS entered a new stage of development as Mr. Chang Cheuk Cheung Terence took over as its ninth headmaster in August 2000. He had served as headmaster in three other schools (Po Leung Kuk 83 Directors’ College, 1984–87; Po Leung Kuk Tang Yuk Tien College, 1987–88; and Jockey Club Ti-I College, 1989–2000) before returning to his alma mater. He received his B.A. from HKU, Diploma in Education from CUHK and M.Ed. from Harvard University. Being the headmaster of his alma mater has been a real challenge for him as he has presided over some of the most profound and exciting changes in the school in a period when Hong 7 Meeting New Challenges (2000 to the Present) 7.1 Mr. Terence Chang 142 To Serve and to Lead Kong was hit hard by the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic, troubled by the government’s intention to introduce a national security bill and faced with unprecedented educational reforms. Sociopolitical Setting The three decades of continuous growth with its new policy of “socialism with Chinese characteristics” (pragmatic socialism) that straddled the new millennium sawChina rising to become a major economic and political power. In the past, people in Hong Kong viewed the Mainland as something of a backwater, but this soon changed after the turn of the century when Hong Kong had to seek help from the motherland to improve its economy. Hong Kong fared poorly for the first fewyears after the handover in 1997, with the economic meltdown in East and Southeast Asia that year persisting into the new century. Adding to the misery, in the spring of 2003, Hong Kong found itself the epicentre of the SARS epidemic which started in the Mainland, arrived in March and spread rapidly to many parts of the world. The travel advisory against Hong Kong and the Mainland publicized by the World Health Organization because of the epidemic sent not only the tourist industry but also virtually all economic activities in Hong Kong into a tailspin. While Hong Kong citizens were still struggling, in June 2003 the government unwisely tried to push through a National Security Bill, which was proposed based on Article 23 of the Basic Law. As the legislation would have given the Hong Kong government very broad powers of political control in the special administrative region, it was denounced by democrats as limiting people’s freedom of assembly and speech. The prolonged economic recession, the hardship during the SARS epidemic and the inappropriate handling of the National Security Bill drove more than half a million people onto the streets on 1 July to protest against the government’s poor administration and to vent their frustration. In order to reinvigorate Hong Kong’s economy after the SARS epidemic, the Chinese government immediately introduced the individual travel scheme which eased the restriction on Mainlanders visiting Hong Kong, and signed the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement to make it easier for Hong Kong companies, including those owned by foreign enterprises, to access the Mainland market. These measures, together with the improvement in the economies of East and Southeast Asia and the replacement of Mr. Tung Chee-Hwa by Mr. Donald Tsang as the chief executive in March 2005, finally lifted Hong Kong out of the economic recession that had lingered since the Meeting New Challenges (2000 to the Present) 143 end of 1997 and enabled it to start to recover. In addition, the measures brought about progressive economic and social integration between Hong Kong and the Mainland. The Hong Kong government changed its attitude from disinterest to eagerness for economic co-operation with the Pearl Delta region and movement of people across the border in both directions. As a result, intermarriage became a common phenomenon and the influence of the Mainland on the internal affairs of Hong Kong also increased. As Hong Kong once again entered a period of economic prosperity, the society was able to devote more resources to education. DBS received generous donations from old boys as well as from the community at large. Educational Development and Challenges to DBS Although the population of Hong Kong had been increasing, the proportion of those below 15 years of age fell gradually from 23.1% in 1986 to 20.9% in 1991, 18.5% in 1996, 16.5% in 2001 and 13...