愛心辦學 培育兒童好開始
Dedicated to Education & Determined to Nurture Children

早上九時，當大部分店舖還未開門，富東廣場已經熙來攘往。孩子們背著書包，穿著鮮黃色校服，蹦蹦跳跳地往廣場盡頭的樓梯拾級而上，頓時令沉靜的廣場充滿生氣。他們是金巴崙長老會青草地幼稚園的學生，正快樂地上學去。

位於東涌富東廣場二樓的金巴崙長老會青草地幼稚園，1997年創校，在富東邨建成之初進駐東涌，十六年來一直致力為區內兒童提供優質教育。近年領匯不但改善廣場環境，更對辦學機構給予實際支持，以低於市價的特惠租金，將近萬平方呎的舖位續租予青草地幼稚園，讓幼稚園得以繼續服務社區。

Despite the fact that most of the shops are still closed, at 9 o’clock in the morning, Fu Tung Plaza in Tung Chung is bustling. Children carrying school bags, proudly wearing their yellow school uniforms, are happily heading to school at CPC Green Pasture Kindergarten, bringing a vibrant atmosphere to the Plaza.

Situated on the second floor of Fu Tung Plaza, CPC Green Pasture Kindergarten was founded in 1997 upon the completion of Fu Tung Estate, and the kindergarten has been devoted to providing quality education to children ever since. Recently, The Link not only improved the environment of the Plaza, but also supported the kindergarten by leasing about 10,000 sq ft to CPC Green Pasture Kindergarten at a concessionary rent, allowing them to continue providing services to the community.

 

受惠特惠租金   學生享更大空間
在鍾寶蓮校長眼中，小孩子就是「青草地」上、「溪水」旁的小羊，這也是幼稚園名字的由來。甫進校園，就看到一片「青草地」（碧綠色的地氈）和流水淙淙的魚池，池中還養有幾尾錦鯉，不但令幼稚園的名字活現眼前，也令校園顯得更朝氣勃勃。

幼稚園校舍佔地近萬呎，較同區幼稚園大兩倍，設施亦更完善。除了課室，還設有美藝廊、圖書角，室外則有體能活動區、名為「歡樂天地」的小型遊樂場和小園圃。「孩子們最喜歡在體能活動區的跑道上賽跑，在『歡樂天地』也會玩得樂而忘返。」鍾校長笑說。

領匯不但以相宜的租金提供充足地方，還讓幼稚園有實踐教學理念的空間。「很感恩能夠租用這裡營辦幼稚園，讓我們實行活動教學，就不同的學習主題舉辦活動，孩子們可以真正『從做中學習』。我們曾經以『商場』為主題，帶學生到校舍位處的富東廣場逛，看看老師說的麵包店實際是怎樣的，讓孩子們有實實在在的生活體驗。」商場店舖多樣化，亦為學校帶來好處。

幼稚園又能全面推行品格教育。「我們透過朗讀兒歌、聽故事，鼓勵學生培養井然有序、專注、守時等品格。」每個課室均設有「品格角」，表揚品格優異的學生，並向他們頒發證書作鼓勵。幼稚園更有足夠資源實行小班教學，老師更能專注關懷每一個學生。

有優秀的教學理念，並能成功將之實踐，青草地幼稚園逐漸在區內建立名聲，不少家長慕名而至。鍾校長說，幼稚園未來仍會留守富東廣場，為區內兒童提供優質而愉快的學習環境。

 

Concessionary Rent Brings Larger Space to Students
From the perspective of Principal Pauline Chung, a child is like a lamb next to “green pastures” and a river. This is the origin of the name of the kindergarten. Walking to the campus, we can see a large “green pasture” (a green carpet) and a fish pond, which contains several koi. The environment is an accurate reflection of the name of the kindergarten and brings vitality to the campus.

The kindergarten campus is about 10,000 sq ft – compared with other kindergartens in the district, it is twice as large – and its facilities are diverse and well provided. In addition to classrooms, there are also art corridors, a library corner and fitness area. The “Paradise” playground and green garden are located outside. Principal Chung says that the children love to have running competitions in the fitness area and play happily in the “Paradise” playground.

By providing sufficient space at affordable rents and by providing a diverse collection of nearby shops, The Link facilitates the practice of educational philosophy. “I am grateful to run a kindergarten here,” said Principal Chung. “The place allows us to implement different teaching activities which allow the children to learn by doing. We once used ‘shopping centre’ as the theme to bring students around Fu Tung Plaza, telling them what the bakery shop looks like and giving them real life experience.”

The kindergarten is also able to fully implement character education. “We encourage students to be organised and punctual and to have a keen sense of concentration by reading children’s songs and listening to stories,” said Principal Chung. To facilitate this, certificates are awarded to outstanding students with excellent characters and there is a “character corner” in each classroom where these achievements are recognised. In addition, the kindergarten has adequate resources to implement small class teaching, which allows more care to be provided to each student.

CPC Green Pasture Kindergarten is gaining a good reputation within the district with its outstanding educational philosophy and successful practice, and an increasing number of parents are applying for enrolment for their children. According to Principal Chung, the kindergarten will remain in Fu Tung Plaza to continue providing a high quality and pleasant learning environment for children from the community.

領匯特惠措施    社會服務賴以延續
Concessionary Measures
from The Link Facilitate the Delivery of Social Services
領匯心繫社區，為社福機構提供低於市價的特惠租金，協助它們發展。領匯旗下的商場與附近居民生活息息相關，社福機構駐守領匯商場，既可深入社區，亦無租金壓力，可以全心全意提供服務，惠澤社群。

在通脹及開支趨升的情況下，經營幼稚園的挑戰愈來愈大，如舖位難求、租金高昂等。「若租金太高，學校收生不足就很難經營下去。我知道不少幼稚園因此開了短短幾年就要停辦。」鍾校長無奈地說。面對財政壓力，有些位於私人屋苑的幼稚園要靠收取各式各樣的費用，甚至調高書簿費、雜費等，把成本轉嫁到家長身上。鍾校長坦言，青草地幼稚園若非得到領匯的協助，幼稚園恐怕要以減老師數目來維持營運。

領匯一直關懷社區，並身體力行，以提供特惠租金支持慈善團體。以金巴崙長老會青草地幼稚園為例，領匯的特惠措施令幼稚園的租金比市值租金低達四成以上，幼稚園便可將資源投放在教學上，造福下一代。

The Link cares about the community and provides social welfare organisations with concessionary rents to assist their development and alleviate their pressures of fluctuating rental expenses. Additionally, the shopping malls under the management of The Link are closely related to the daily life of residents nearby, which allows the social welfare organisations housed within these shopping malls to understand more about the community.

Operating a kindergarten currently faces many challenges, such as high rents and difficulty in finding a suitable location. “If rents are too high, insufficient enrolment would make it impossible for a kindergarten to continue operating,” said Principal Chung. “I understand that there are many kindergartens that have suspended operations after just a few years.”

To cope with financial difficulties, some kindergartens located in private housing estates have had to charge all sorts of fees and even increase books and miscellaneous fees to shift the costs to parents. With The Link’s support of offering the concessionary rental rates, Principal Chung said there is no rental pressure on CPC Green Pasture Kindergarten, which enables it to operate more easily. Without The Link’s support, the kindergarten would have no choice but to cut teachers to continue to operate.

The Link’s concessionary rent scheme demonstrates its support for charitable organisations in the neighbourhoods where it operates. In the case of CPC Green Pasture Kindergarten, the concessionary measures by The Link allow the kindergarten to pay rent of 40% less than the market rate.