Abstract

The Maryknoll Sisters (Sisters) from New York established Maryknoll Convent School (瑪利諾修院學校) (MCS or the School) in Hong Kong on 11 February 1925. The Sisters aimed to provide religious and moral education to students, allowing them to experience and understand the Catholic faith. The School, known as the “Red Brick Castle” located in Kowloon Tong, Kowloon, was a primary and secondary school offering an affordable education for girls. It gained a reputation for being one of the city’s elite schools, nurturing numerous graduates who went on to become leaders in society.

After the number of Maryknoll Sisters serving Hong Kong declined, in 2005, the Maryknoll Convent School Foundation Limited, formed by the Sisters, alumnae and former teaching staff members, assumed the role of the school sponsoring body (辦學團體) from the Sisters. Between 2019 and 2023, schools in Hong Kong encountered challenges such as a decreasing number of students due to lower birth rate and emigration, as well as the departure of teachers due to emigration among other reasons. In 2021, all government-subsidized local schools in Hong Kong, including MCS, introduced new learning schemes, such as national education which aimed to enhance the students’ understanding of their home country of China.

In 2024, the Council Members of the MCS Foundation comprised one Sister and 14 members who served as volunteers for the School. As society continued to evolve, how could the School’s management help to fulfill the mission passed on by the Sisters, and ensure that its students were equipped with the skills and values needed to succeed at the turn of the centennial in 2025?

Learning Objectives

After analyzing and discussing this case, students are expected to be able to:

1. Learn the leadership and management concepts of a religious non-profit primary and secondary school in Hong Kong.
2. Understand the evolution of the school in retaining its mission, heritage and values in teaching students amidst societal changes over past century.
3. Explore the challenges and complexities of the management procedures faced by the group of alumnae who took over the school’s management, including dealing with multiple stakeholders.
4. Learn about maintaining a strong reputation and achieving high performance in academic and other areas at school, while providing affordable education.