A Tseung Kwan O primary school’s plan to hold a late-night World Cup screening may not have won enough support from parents, but its revised daytime family carnival drew nearly 300 students, parents and teachers on Sunday.
Chi Lin Buddhist Primary School held the rescheduled carnival on Sunday morning, with participants watching Argentina advance to the semifinals and taking part in football-themed activities on campus.
Speaking on a radio program on Monday morning, principal Law Kam-yuen said the core purpose of the event was to create special memories for students, adding that he believed the school had achieved that goal.
Law said the school had initially hoped 60 families would join the midnight viewing, but only about 40 signed up. He said work commitments, children’s bedtimes and concerns over possible no-shows were among the reasons behind the lower-than-expected response.
He said the decision to move the event to daytime was made to allow more families to take part, adding that he did not want teachers’ efforts in preparing the event to go to waste.
The carnival featured six game booths, including penalty shootouts and retro paper football, as well as souvenirs sponsored by friends of the school.
Law said school life in Hong Kong should not be limited to “work and study,” especially as family and school activities have become less common in the fast-paced city. He said the carnival was intended to bring teachers, students and parents closer together through shared happy memories.
“Children don’t need expensive gifts. Fun activities are enough to make them happy,” Law joked.
He said the school plans to organize similar activities during future major tournaments and hoped the experience could serve as a reference for other schools.
Sports commentator Eric Chung Chi-kwong also joined the event as a special guest. Law said he was grateful that Chung accepted the invitation quickly after a staff member happened to meet him.
Chung described the school’s original late-night screening idea as “fantastic,” saying it could have offered students a valuable experience. However, he also acknowledged public concerns over children watching matches late at night.
He praised the lively atmosphere at the carnival and said turning the event into a “family fun day” was a good idea. He added that it was his first time watching a football match on a school campus.
