Scheme Info

Background 

The school-based Educational Psychologists from Po Leung Kuk (PLK) have been aware of the increases of pressure from teachers, students and parents since 2014. A Positive Education working group was formed to study literatures about mental health. Some principals suggested that Positive Education could help the situation at school. Scholars, such as Dr. Martin Seligman, who developed Positive Education, have already implemented positive education theories with evidence-based teaching practices to enhance mental health in school settings in Australia. The team then travelled to Australia and took part in local seminars and training activities hosted by the Geelong Grammar School (GGS) in order to understand about Positive Education. Back in Hong Kong, the team also visited schools, such as Chinese International School and Baptist (Sha Tin Wai) Lui Ming Choi Primary School, which had implemented Positive Education for years.

During the academic year of 2015-16, the suicidal rates of students and parents drastically increased. The Principal Education Secretary of PLK suggested the team to tackle the problem by setting long term goals in enhancing mental health. He decided to implement Positive Education in PLK schools to enhance mental health and resilience in students, parents and school personnel. Starting from the school-based Educational Psychologists, trainings were held for students, parents and teachers. The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of PLK also felt fascinated about the idea of promoting Positive Education. She then organised a visit tour with the Senior Education Secretary to GGS to learn about the implementation of Positive Education. During the academic year of 2018-21, the project of PLK Positive Education Movement in Kindergartens was funded by the Lee Hysan Foundation (LHF) to hold a 3-year pilot study in 10 PLK kindergartens. The result of the pilot study was encouraging. PLK then applied the Quality Education Fund to extend the project for 3 years (2021-24) to all of the remaining PLK kindergartens, PLK nursery schools and 8 more non-PLK kindergartens.