{
  "id": 14152159,
  "title": "Lessons for life: Hong Kong educator looks beyond exams and interviews",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/lessons-for-life-hong-kong-educator-looks-beyond-exams-and-interviews-14152159",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-13T08:15:05.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
    "slug": "south-china-morning-post-hong-kong",
    "url": "https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/society/article/3370694/lessons-life-hong-kong-educator-looks-beyond-exams-and-interviews"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Hong Kong educator Christine Ma-Lau believes that exam preparation and school interviews are not the sole focus of her teaching. Instead, she emphasises helping children understand their own identity, build strong relationships, and contribute positively to their community. In 2009, she founded JEMS Character Academy, which offers a unique curriculum centered around identity, relationships, and community.\n\nMa-Lau's approach extends beyond mere good manners or polite behaviour. She argues that the ultimate aim is to foster genuine respect for others, which should emerge from a child's inner attitude. Her academy actively engages in community service, collaborating with over 15 local non-profit organisations and raising more than HK$1 million for children's charities. During visits to disadvantaged communities, children participate in reflective activities rather than simply feeling sympathy for the people they encounter; they are encouraged to appreciate the experiences and contributions of those around them.\n\nMa-Lau's teachings have proven influential even years later. One former student, now an adult, went on to establish an initiative that supports Hong Kong students from less privileged backgrounds in applying to top UK universities. This individual's mother expressed her gratitude to Ma-Lau, crediting her for instilling in her daughter a sense of empathy and care at the age of 11. Another participant, who once struggled with focus and self-discipline, reached out to Ma-Lau after starting his first job. He shared that the lessons on time management, pressure management, and teamwork had become valuable in his professional life. Ma-Lau stresses the importance of recognizing individual strengths and understanding how one can contribute meaningfully to society. She believes that children should not be forced into a single learning method that doesn't suit their unique needs; rather, they should discover their own strengths and use them to work effectively with others.\n\nBeyond her work at JEMS, Ma-Lau serves on the Character Education Foundation, the board of Mother’s Choice, and is an adjunct professor at the Education University of Hong Kong. She is also actively involved with LEAP, an organization that promotes healthy choices and drug prevention among young people. As the Character Education Foundation brings character education into schools and the wider community, Ma-Lau's next initiative, scheduled for 2027, will focus on resilience, encouraging children to discuss setbacks, perseverance, and the support they receive from others.",
  "summary": "For Hong Kong educator Christine Ma-Lau, preparing children for exams or school interviews is only part of the job – helping them understand who they are, how to treat others and what they can contribute to society matters just as much. Ma-Lau founded JEMS Character Academy in 2009 after concluding that many imported character education programmes did not fully meet Hong Kong’s needs. She…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "South China Morning Post - Hong Kong",
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        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/therapy-dogs-in-high-demand-hong-kong-programme-booked-out-until",
        "published": "2026-10-13T02:19:23.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Hundreds queue in Hong Kong to glimpse Van Gogh painting unseen in public for 60 years",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/13/hundreds-queue-in-hong-kong-to-glimpse-van-gogh-painting-unseen-in",
        "published": "2026-10-13T08:02:39.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}