Isn’t Maryknoll Convent School’s campus like a portal into a children’s fantasy book? For most Hong Kong schoolchildren, a day in class means sitting in a concrete box. But not at Maryknoll Convent School.
Maryknoll Convent School is a prestigious school in Hong Kong. It has a long history, traditions and distinguished academic results. The school is a Roman Catholic girls’ school. It has primary and secondary sections. Maryknoll Convent School is located in Kowloon Tong.
The story of Maryknoll Convent School begins with the Maryknoll Sisters. They were a group of American Catholic nuns. The sisters arrived in Hong Kong in 1921. They initially planned to use Hong Kong as a springboard for missionary activities in mainland China. But they realised the colony’s girls were in need of education. So they established a school on Austin Road in 1925.
In 1931, the school moved to 248 Prince Edward Road due to the growing number of students. The school moved again in 1936 to the current campus at 130 Waterloo Road. In 1960, a new section was inaugurated at 5 Ho Tung Road for the secondary section. The primary section remains at 130 Waterloo Road.
During the Japanese occupation of Hong Kong, the Maryknoll Sisters left and closed the school in 1941. After the Japanese surrendered in 1945, the school reopened.
Maryknoll Convent School uses English as the medium of instruction. This applies to all subjects except Chinese Language, Chinese History and Mandarin. In 2024, BigExam ranked Maryknoll Convent School 13th among 445 schools in Hong Kong.
The top section of the Maryknoll Convent School crest shows a rose between two lamps. The lamps remind us that one lamp lights another without growing less. The rose is a symbol of Mary. The school motto is “Sola Nobilitas Virtus”. This Latin phrase means “Virtue Alone Ennobles”.
Maryknoll Convent School is not just a place of education. It is a place of dreams and memories. Supervisor Amy Ho says anyone who has studied at Maryknoll has had the school campus appear again and again in their dreams. The staircases wind and the banisters are carved. There are twists and turns.
Maryknoll Convent School is one of the oldest surviving all-girls schools. It has operated continuously in the same historic complex. The school has contributed to the advancement of Hong Kong women’s education. Its alumni includes Michelle Reis, Nancy Kwan and Gigi Leung.
In 2008, the original Maryknoll Convent School building was declared a historic monument. This gives it protection under Hong Kong’s heritage protection laws.
Maryknoll Convent School continues to evolve. It remains a vital part of Hong Kong’s educational landscape. The school blends tradition with modernity. The school is creating a unique and inspiring environment for its students. Maryknoll Convent School stands as a testament to the enduring power of education.