School principals ask for more sports fields

The principals of nine non-tertiary schools, including the Escola Choi Nong Chi Tai, the Workers’ Children High School, the Escola Secundária Técnico- Profissional da Associação Geral dos Operários de Macau, the Escola Hoi Fai, and the Fong Chong Taipa, met yesterday with Chief Executive (CE) Chui Sai On at the government headquarters. The meeting was also attended by lawmakers Lei Cheng I and Lam Hong Sam.

Vong Kuoc Leng, president of Escola Choi Nong Chi Tai, told the media after the meeting with Chui that the group mainly expressed their common appeals to the CE, with particular regards to local schools’ lack of space for both teaching and sporting activities.

The group expects the government to build sports facilities on top of the Lin Fong Sports Centre. They look forward to the authority using some available spaces for the construction of teaching buildings for schools in need, so as “to allow schools with fewer spaces to be improved.”

Vong claimed that the CE also gave them feedback on the governmental reclamation of land plots, which the top official says will then be considered for repurposing, including areas to aid local schools.

Lam Lon Wai, the vice president of the Workers’ Children High School, said they brought to the meeting more than 6,000 letters, and more than 8,000 signatures from parents, informing the CE about the aforementioned circumstances.

Lam recalled that, in specific areas in the northern region of the Macau Peninsula, 85 percent of the population consists of youth and newly established families.

Lam said that as the population keeps growing, the “Macau Canidrome, at this moment, is relatively suitable as a location to ease the northern region’s land problems.” According to Lam, they mentioned this to the CE, who considered the matter to be of utmost importance.

The group hopes that, besides looking for professional companies to design the city’s retaken lands, the government can also take note of the opinions of residents who live in the northern regions during the consultation period.

“The government is encouraging students to do more sports and exercise, […] however, it is difficult for the school to achieve that because spaces are scarce,” explained lawmaker Lei Cheng I. 

Lei, followed by the two principals, said that they also hope that the government, in its long-term planning, can help schools to solve the problem of space shortages.

The group expects the Blue Sky project to be concluded as soon as possible.

The “Blue Sky” project aimed to relocate 15 school institutions to better facilities in 15 to 20 years. Currently, only four schools have accomplished this goal, as written in the letter the principals delivered to Chui.