On May 25, a service learning team of 21 teachers and students from Henry Fok Pearl Jubilee College (hereinafter referred to as “HFPJC”) of University of Macau visited Bailing Primary Schools in Xiushui, Jiangxi, for an eight-day volunteer teaching program. This marks the college’s second visit to Bailing Village since last summer, warmly welcomed by local teachers and students.

Innovative Curriculum Blends Tradition and Technology

Building on last year’s courses in English for Fun, Hygiene and Safety, Macao Culture, Anti-bullying in Campus, music, arts and sports, this year’s programme introduced new modules on Chinese traditional culture and STEM education, offering a diverse learning experience for the children.

In the “24 Solar Terms” class, volunteers used animations and videos to explain the origins of these terms, integrating knowledge about climate, ecology, festivals, and ancient poetry. Students were encouraged to share local customs, fostering cultural identity. The “Oracle Bone Inscriptions and Chinese Culture” class showcased the charm of pictographic characters through engaging examples, linking them to traditional virtues like respecting elders and caring for the young.

STEM courses became the highlight of this programme. Volunteers designed physics experiments, AI Enlightenment and Application, and hands-on sessions with drones and programmable robots. “Science can be so fun! I want to build my own robot someday,” exclaimed one local student, reflecting the program’s impact on their curiosity and critical thinking.

Children’s Day Celebrations and Donations

Coinciding with Children’s Day, HFPJC service leaders organized performances and water games with the children. To improve the local school’s learning conditions, HFPJC donated 660 desk mats, books, and teaching supplies to No. 2 Primary School.  These supplies were purchased with funds raised by College students through handmade craft charity sales, demonstrating the compassion and sense of social responsibility.

Family Visits and Cultural Immersion

Beyond teaching, the team visited 26 students’ families, gaining insights into the lives of left-behind children. Moved by their resilience and thirst for knowledge despite parental absence, volunteers pledged ongoing support. The team also visited the Xiushui Autumn Harvest Uprising Memorial and the former residence of Huang Tingjian, a renowned poet and calligrapher of the Song Dynasty, deepening their understanding of China’s revolutionary history and cultural heritage, and strengthening patriotic sentiment and cultural confidence

Mutual Growth and Future Plans

The programme successfully realized the mutual improvement of teaching and learning, creating a trans-regional educational connection. As HFPJC students introduced advanced teaching methodologies to remote mountain schools and shared knowledge with local children, they simultaneously acquired profound life lessons, developed practical competencies, and strengthened their moral character through this service-learning experience.

“As an education major, standing on the podium for the first time made me realize a teacher’s responsibility,” shared service leader Wan Jing. “Through this process, we’ve not only gained friendships and learned teamwork, but also strengthened our problem-solving abilities.”  The Principal of No. 2 Primary School Shuai Wenhui noted, “These courses opened a window to the wider world, especially the STEM sessions, which planted seeds of scientific curiosity.”

HFPJC has established a partnership framework with both primary schools in Bailing Village, with plans to develop diversified exchange initiatives including distance learning and on-site collaborative activities, thereby contributing to the advancement of equitable educational development.

Since 2014, HFPJC has organized service learning programmes every year in remote areas in mainland China, providing volunteer teaching services to underprivileged children. Over 240 HFPJC service leaders have reached across provinces including Hainan, Guizhou, Jiangxi, Yunnan, Hunan, and Guangxi, delivering innovative curricula in over 440 classes across 15 schools.  These initiatives have benefited more than 21,000 primary and secondary students, enabling children in remote regions to discover their potential, build self-confidence, and enhance their learning motivation through diversified educational activities.