The year 1999 holds great significance in Macao history as it marked the city’s return to the motherland. It was equally momentous for Felizbina Carmelita Gomes (Bina), as it was the same year that she was appointed the principal of Escola Primária Luso-Chinesa da Flora (Flora School). She simultaneously started her studies at the University of Macau (UM), where she pursued a degree in Portuguese primary school education.
Since that time, Ms Bina has been at the forefront of promoting Chinese-Portuguese bilingual education in Macao. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, the Macao SAR Government awarded her the Medal of Merit—Education in 2023. With a career spanning over 40 years in the education sector, Ms Bina currently serves as the director of D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten, where she continues her commitment to cultivating a Portuguese learning environment for young children. This article will trace Ms Bina’s remarkable journey.
The beloved director
Ms Bina is a beloved figure at her kindergarten. During lunch breaks, she visits every classroom to give the teachers a warm hug and ask about their classes. The sight of Ms Bina also brings excitement to the children, with some eagerly rushing towards her to seek her hugs. The kindergarten corridor is adorned with a delightful display of self-portraits created by the children, showcasing their creativity as they imagine themselves as plants, fruits or animals. Furthermore, each classroom door is decorated with beautiful artwork featuring plants, flowers, and insects, created together by teachers and the children. Ms Bina shares her perspective, ‘In kindergarten, the most essential tool for children is a set of colour pens, which allows them to unleash their imagination and express the world as they see it.’
Ms Bina and the teachers at her school share a common goal: to provide children with a happy childhood and a love for learning. This goal is also central to Ms Bina’s education philosophy and management principles. She explains, ‘In our kindergarten, we prioritise giving children the freedom to learn in their preferred style and encourage them to explore their surroundings. Through various games and artistic activities, our teachers inspire curiosity and foster an interest in learning. We understand that learning is a lifelong process, and during this stage, our aim is to help children establish connections with nature and society.
The journey in education
Born in the 1960s into a Macanese family, Ms Bina grew up in a Cantonese-Portuguese bilingual environment. Her parents and teachers also fostered a relaxed environment that encouraged independent learning. Her upbringing and immersion in this bilingual setting led Ms Bina to develop a career in language teaching. After graduating from secondary school in 1982, Ms Bina secured a position as a Portuguese teacher at Flora School. However, her pursuit of knowledge did not stop there. She pursued further studies at a Macao teacher training institution and at Beijing Language and Culture University to improve her teaching skills and her Portuguese language knowledge. In 1999, Ms Bina was promoted to the position of principal of Flora School, marking the beginning of her journey to advance the school’s development.
There is a Chinese maxim that says, ‘When Heaven is going to give a great responsibility to someone, it first makes his mind endure suffering and exhausts his muscles and bones.’ Fully aware of the responsibilities that came with being a principal, Ms Bina recognised the need to enhance her teaching professionalism. With this in mind, she enrolled in a UM bachelor’s degree programme in primary education in 1999. It was an intensive evening programme offered by the Faculty of Education. The programme, recognised by Portugal’s education authorities, proved to be demanding and was a significant challenge for the new principal.
Ms Bina vividly recalls her hectic schedule during that period. Every morning at around 8:00am, she would start her responsibilities at the school, which continued until the end of the school day. Sometimes when meetings ran late, she had to rush to the old UM campus in Taipa in order to arrive at the classroom by 6:00pm. The classes lasted until 10:00pm. However, even after returning home, her day was far from over as she had to dedicate time to reading and completing assignments. Classes were occasionally scheduled on Saturdays. Reflecting on those times, Ms Bina finds it unbelievable that she was able to accomplish everything. She also describes it as a journey filled with tears and sweat. Nevertheless, her determination and hard work paid off. She successfully completed her degree and has since applied the knowledge and skills learned at UM in her daily teaching practices.
More opportunities to utilise professionalism
The years of learning at UM enabled Ms Bina to develop a new understanding of educational theories and to acquire classroom management strategies, which helped her enhance students’ learning effectiveness. Moreover, her teaching skills have significantly improved, encompassing critical evaluation of teaching practices, as well as development of teaching plans and teaching tools that align with curriculum frameworks, teaching materials and students’ needs. Ms Bina specifically expresses her gratitude to her professors at UM. Their knowledge and guidance have played an important role in her development of systematic teaching and management models.
The memories of working with 30 other classmates on the Taipa hilltop campus is still vivid in Ms Bina’s mind. She humorously recalls the breathless sprints up the hill to reach the university, a nostalgic experience shared by many. Having spent a memorable period on the UM old campus, Ms Bina is a witness to the university’s growth and transformation, including the relocation to the campus on Hengqin Island. She has visited the expansive Hengqin campus and is impressed by the brand-new teaching environment. UM’s rapid development has also left a lasting impression, as she remarks, ‘UM provides a stage for new generations to grow and develop their talent. It is a place where the stories of UM members continue to unfold.’
Today, Ms Bina, along with some of her former UM classmates, has become a pillar in Macao’s education sector. The Macao SAR Government’s increased investment in education after the handover has also provided her with ample opportunities to utilise her skills and professionalism to promote Chinese-Portuguese bilingual education—a field she is passionate about and has made great contributions to.
Promoting Portuguese learning
When it comes to Ms Bina’s philosophy of promoting Chinese-Portuguese bilingual education, she firmly believes in immersing children in a bilingual environment from a young age. She considers this approach the foundation for lifelong language learning. Upon assuming the role of principal at Flora School, she initiated the full implementation of her ‘Chinese-Portuguese class’ plan, which aimed to help primary school students develop high proficiency in both Chinese and Portuguese through innovative teaching methods and curriculum. In 2022, Ms Bina was appointed as the director of D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten, and now continues to implement Portuguese language learning at the kindergarten.
On the bookshelf at D. José da Costa Nunes Kindergarten, one can find three storybooks about Chinese history and culture: Chang’e Flying to the Moon, Nuwa Mending the Sky, and Jingwei Filling the Sea. These books were published and donated by UM’s Chinese-Portuguese Bilingual Teaching and Training Centre. To stimulate the children’s interest in Chinese history and culture, the university also sent its students to the kindergarten to perform the mythological story of Chang’e Flying to the Moon. Ms Bina expresses her hope that there will be increased collaboration in the education of Portuguese language and Chinese culture between her kindergarten and UM.
Upholding the educator’s role
It has been over forty years since Ms Bina embarked on her journey in the education sector. Throughout her career, her diligent, optimistic, and positive attitude has earned her the respect of countless students, parents and teachers, and staff members. In recognition of her contributions to Macao’s education sector, the Macao SAR Government awarded Ms Bina the Medal of Merit—Education in 2023. Having devoted four decades to her profession, time seems to have left no visible marks on Ms Bina’s face—she remains remarkably youthful, both physically and mentally. Perhaps Ms Bina’s secret to staying youthful lies in her ability to maintain a childlike innocence and embrace the people and experiences in her life.
In addition to her youthful spirit, Ms Bina’s unwavering commitment to upholding the role of educators is also what fuels her passion for the profession, as she concludes, ‘Educators have a crucial role in creating an optimal learning environment and empowering students to reach their full potential. We should always uphold this role.’
Source: My UM Issue 134
