Tribute to Kwan Sek-Yiu (FA69) 

Edward Ng & Louisa Leung:

Many thousands of us have been fortunate and blessed to be part of the QES family. From time to time, we’re reminded of the motto of “refining oneself to serve the greater self”. We’re especially struck with the emphasis of service to the broader community. Notice it did not challenge us to aspire for great wealth or glamorous fame.

In the context of Gala60, we have found many unsung heroes who toiled quietly and unselfishly below the radar, for the greater good of the Alma Mater. These heroes are typically unknown to the mass, but with quiet fidelity to our motto.

With this article, we pay tribute to one such hero, but more importantly, hope to inspire a series of such homage to the many unsung ones.

His name is Kwan Sek-Yiu, of FA69. He has been definitely successful in his profession, having risen to the post of Chief Engineer in the HK Water Supplies Department, and served until his retirement. In a gesture of respect and admiration to his dedicated leadership and services, almost 900 people attended his retirement party.

But we confine here to his many years of service to the Alma Mater. We first highlight some of his tireless and selfless contributions and then have asked a number of schoolmates to pay tribute from their first hand perspectives.

• He has been serving in the OSA executive committee for the 42nd term since 1976 and has written and continuously updated the history of the OSA.

• He is known as the “encyclopedia” and historian of the OSA.

• He is one of the only two old students (along with Tong Wai-Ki. FA58) who have successively served as both OSA Chairman and PTA Chairman.

• PTA Newsletter was introduced during his service as PTA Chairman.

• He was member of the School Advisory Council and then the School Management Committee for 10 years between 1996 and 2006.

• He is the only old students who annually lead classmates to participate in special relay events in the School Sports Day and School Swimming Gala.

• In the Golden Jubilee Gala50, he was a member of 6 committees, including the main Executive Committee.

• At the Gala60 celebration, he was Convener of the Publication Sub-committee of the QES60 Steering Committee and published the two books, 伊利沙伯．香港  and  "Tribute to QES 2014"

His dedication to QES was amply rewarded by having met his wife Cheung Chau-Wan 張就雲 FA71. He claimed to be the luckiest man in the world because “QES and my wife have made every moment of my life meaningful and rewarding.” She was Assistant Principal of King's College before her retirement. Since then, she has been serving as an honorary School Manager for 3 schools, a secondary school and a primary school of the OSA as well as  志蓮淨苑學校.

In addition to the overall generic tribute to him, we feel it’s even more perceptive to hear from the first hand appreciation by a number of schoolmates.

Tat-Yan Leung FA57:  

“I came to know SY and his wife in 2007, my first attendance of the OSA AGM and annual dinner.  

SY is an outstanding student, full government scholarship for his entire secondary education, and an enthusiast in sports, a distance runner participating in full marathon year after year, the fastest timing amongst our schoolmates for the run in 2017.

He raises money for charity through the Marathon run and I happen to be one of his modest sponsors for the last decade.

Additional to contribution for charity, he is an ardent, long term blood donor to Red Cross, more than couple of times in the year.”

Edward Ng FA57:

“I first came across SY in the publication of the book 伊利沙伯．香港。 I have worked in the American space program for 40 years as applied mathematician, and felt my indebtedness to our QES math teacher Mr. Chamberlain. So I wanted to write a special tribute to him. But my Chinese has been somewhat rusty, so requested SY to translate for me. In the various iterations, I had first hand appreciation of his attitude of dedication and help. Subsequently he also translated another article for me on tribute to Mr. Cheong Wai-Fung, the Founding Principal. His passion for the Alma Mater sometimes did lead to some alumni’s mistaking it for an imposing style.

Tat-Yan mentions his blood donation. One time at the Red Cross he actually ran into fellow donor Dr. Arthur Hinton, who inspired him to become a regular donor.”

Louisa Leung FA59: tribute in Chinese published in a companion article.

Alex Wong FA69:

“認識亞烏（友輩对關錫堯的暱稱）逾半世紀，大家同屆自伊中畢業, 他留港，我來美，天各一方，但拜現代科技之賜，仍保持聯络，音訊不断。他的驚人魄力，孜孜不倦，公而忘私的服務精神，令我敬佩拜服。
竭力支持舊生會，数十年不懈，自不待言。海外同學返港，必联络一眾同學

叙舊。每年參加毅行者慈善步行，二十年来籌款高達三百萬港元。每三個月捐血一欠。四十年来從未間断。畢生服務港府水務署，知命之年，仕途止步，未能更上層樓。但仍克盡厥職，努力扶掖後進。蕪堂掛有：
《天行健君子自強不息，地勢坤君子厚德載物》

書法條幅，以為自勉，自愧未能辦到，但亞烏做到了，忝屬同窗，與有榮焉。“