Front row from left to right: Nicholas Ng, Brother Patrick Tierney, Brother Thomas Lavin and Michael Tse
Back row from left to right: Lester Huang, Victor Ling, Paul Woo, Chris Lau and Measure Hung
Brother Thomas Favier was absent with excuse for the meeting on 13 January 2007

Introduction of the Lasallian Education Council

Background

The Superior General and Council of the Lasallian Institute in Rome asked every sector of the Institute to establish a Lasallian Education Council to promote and strengthen the Lasallian educational vision and mission. Each LEC shall consist of both Brothers and other lay members of the Lasallian Family with a “Voice and Vote”.

Accordingly, under the guidance of the Area Director of Hong Kong, Brother Patrick Tierney, the Lasallian Education Council (the “LEC”) was established in Hong Kong and held its first meeting on 25 November 2004.

Membership

Apart from Brother Patrick as the Area Director of La Salle in Hong Kong, there are two other brothers and seven former students of five Lasallian secondary schools in Hong Kong, each having been actively involved in Lasallian activities in their respective schools such as in the respective alumni association or as a school manager. The current members of the LEC are

All members of the LEC serve in their personal capacities for a term of 3 years.

Role

The role of the LEC in Hong Kong is to assist the Area Director in promoting the Lasallian vision and mission in Hong Kong. The LEC at present is advisory but could evolve into a decision making body with an executive role eventually.

The LEC's role has to do with the overall strategy and direction of the Lasallian mission in Hong Kong rather than any involvement in the governance of individual schools.

The Role of the Brothers

The Brothers in Hong Kong are committed to remain and work to strengthen the Lasallian mission. Given the universal shortage of religious, including the Brothers, the involvement and participation of lay members in the Lasallian mission is necessary and well accepted as a universal trend in the Church.

Current work

The current focus of the LEC is to become familiar with all the Lasallian schools in Hong Kong. The LEC also discusses and responds to various educational policy proposals issued by the Government such as the Medium of Instruction, the academic structure in secondary schooling. The LEC stands ready to assist any of our Lasallian schools as required

More details of the current work of the LEC and its submissions on policy issues are available on line at www.lasalle.org.hk/pages/lec.htm

Hong Kong, March 2006