本書簡介

昔日鄉村學校遍布新界與離島，為農村和漁村兒童提供基礎教育。隨着城巿發展和時代變遷，村校由戰後高峰時期的八百多所，到如今僅餘不足二十所，並各以不同的轉變應對當前辦學和教育的需要。

本書嘗試探索新界離島各區的教育發展，梳理區內學校的起源，以及它們最新的發展與轉變。本書旨在回顧新界和離島的教育發展里程，藉著與各校師長、校友訪談，從他們對成長經歷的回憶，分享昔日鄉村校園生活的趣聞軼事—學生上學時出入阡陌、不同級別學生在同一教室上課、放學後需協助家中農務或出海打魚等。點點滴滴勾勒出各鄉各村的歷史和發展，從而印證教育與社區一起的蛻變的片段。

書中涵蓋新界和離島學校的起源與發展、新界師範教育歷史、地區特色、人物訪談、傳統文化習俗等多個範疇，引領讀者回到上個世紀，感受新界和離島學生的求學生活，並深入介紹社區節慶習俗，從多個角度去了解新界和離島鄉村學校與整體社區文化生活脈絡的互動。

Village schools used to be a common sight throughout the New Territories and outlying islands, offering basic education to children in rural and fishing villages. Following urban development, the number of village schools dropped from the post-WWII peak of more than 800 to less than 20 today. The remaining schools have transformed in various ways to respond to the present demands of school operation and changing educational needs.

This book traces the origin of these schools and the development of education in the New Territories and outlying islands. Drawing from personal interviews, it chronicles the memories and anecdotes of teachers and alumni, portraying what it was like to come of age in the countryside. The book takes readers back to the last century to experience the lives of village school students, at a time when teachers and pupils walked through crisscrossing farmland paths to get to school, when pupils from different year levels shared a classroom, and when after-school activities included helping with the family’s farm or fishing business.

The book also demonstrates how the village schools in the area interacted with the social culture of the wider community. The history and development of the villages are pieced together, illustrating how schooling and teacher education have grown and evolved alongside changes to these communities. It offers an in-depth account of traditional customs and festivities, highlights milestones of educational development in the region, and reports on the present state of these village schools.

編著及製作團隊