Po Leung Kuk launches the first Inclusive Rugby Programme in Hong Kong to promote sports in the community and social inclusion

(21 September 2019, Hong Kong) Po Leung Kuk has always actively encouraged its students to engage in a wide range of sports. Co-organized with the Hong Kong Rugby Union, the first two-year Inclusive Rugby Programme in Hong Kong has been officially launched in Po Leung Kuk Anita L.L. Chan (Centenary) School and Po Leung Kuk Grandmont Primary School. Through fair play and teamwork, the programme fosters positive interaction and communication between students with SEN and their mainstream peers to achieve social inclusion.

Since 2012/2013, the affiliated primary schools of Po Leung Kuk Education Affairs Department has introduced the Tag Rugby into the school curriculum and offered training for students by professional coaches from the Hong Kong Rugby Union. The programme was later extended to two affiliated special schools for children with moderate intellectual disability 3 years ago to promote the pleasure of rugby to their students.    

Unlike traditional tackle rugby demands physical collisions, Tag Rugby is a non-tackle team game with simple rules and minimal contact, which is suitable for students from primary and special schools. In order to meet with the learning needs of students with SEN, rugby coaches and physical education teachers worked closely to design the training with game elements, and inserted visual guidelines to enhance students’ understanding to the rugby instructions and rules. Students with SEN subsequently formed as a rugby team with the mainstream peers, compete and cooperate with each other on the rugby field, cultivating their team spirits and demonstrating the essence of integration and harmony. 

The kick-off ceremony of the programme was held at Po Leung Kuk today. Mr Ching Nam MA, CStJ, JP, Chairman of Po Leung Kuk, who was a representative of the school rugby team, stated that the Kuk has all along endeavoured to promote all-round education. One of the emphasis this year is to facilitate “One Student One Sport”, aiming to encourage healthy exercise habits among students and to construct a healthy environment of joy. 

Ms Loretta Lam, Senior Education Secretary (Primary & Special Education) of Po Leung Kuk, hoped that the programme could inspire the school sector to unite the students in special and mainstream schools through sports, break their barriers and build mutual respect, as well as reduce the labelling and misunderstanding of students with SEN, so as to create a space for equal coexistence. She expected that the programme would be extended to other affiliated schools and build up a harmonious and inclusive society in the future.  

－ End －