More than 120 primary and secondary school students have completed the inaugural MGM Arts & Culture Docent Training Programme, with MGM stating that the initiative aims to nurture the next generation of arts and culture ambassadors through museum-based learning and practical guiding experience.
MGM held a graduation ceremony yesterday at MGM MACAU in Nape for the first cohort of its MGM Arts & Culture Docent Training Programme, with nearly 300 guests, students, school representatives and parents attending the event.
The programme is organised by the integrated resort, co-organised by the Education and Youth Development Bureau (DSEDJ) and the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC), and supported by the Chinese Education Association of Macau, the Macao Catholic Schools Association and the Macao Civil Service Educational Association. The programme used the POLY MGM MUSEUM as a training platform, providing structured docent* training for upper primary and junior secondary students.
Graduates will be able to continue participating in guided tours and museum-related activities as ‘Future Arts & Cultural Ambassadors’, according to a statement released by MGM yesterday.
Addressing the ceremony, MGM China Holdings Limited Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Kenneth Feng Xiaofeng said that the museum serves not only as a cultural landmark promoting Chinese culture and cross-cultural exchange, but also as a platform for talent development. He added that the programme provides students with museum-based learning opportunities that enhance their cultural awareness, communication and presentation skills, while broadening their global perspectives.
MGM noted that it has been developing arts and cultural docents since 2013, having trained about 1,400 university student docents and provided more than 60,000 cumulative hours of professional training and internship opportunities. The new programme extends that training to younger students through a two-tier framework, the statement said.
The first stage is a five-day summer camp for P4 to P6 students, while the second is a 54-hour training course for F2 and F3 students focusing on arts and cultural knowledge, guiding techniques, public speaking, stage presence and hospitality services, the statement said, noting that the curriculum also includes museum internship sessions, allowing participants to gain hands-on experience while building confidence and communication skills.
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, junior docent Leong Wai Teng said that the programme had helped her become more confident and organised when speaking. “I think I’m more confident in my speech, I express myself better, and I am more organised. I think it’s good for my future”, she said. When asked how the programme differed from classroom learning, Leong said that museum-based learning allowed students to better understand what they learned.
“The knowledge obtained in class is probably just what the teacher says, but there’s nothing for us to see. You can learn more here, and you can see things more clearly in the museum”, Leong said.
Although she has not yet decided on her future career, Leong said that the experience would be beneficial regardless of the path she chooses.
During the event, participants also guided guests and parents through exhibitions to demonstrate the skills they acquired during the programme.
MGM said that graduates can continue serving as volunteer museum docents in their spare time while receiving priority access to the integrated resort’s arts and cultural activities, enabling them to further develop their knowledge and practical experience through continued training and participation.
*A docent is a person who works as a museum tour guide, a college teacher, or an educational guide. The word comes from a Latin word that means “to teach”. – Gemini
MGM China Holdings Limited Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director Kenneth Feng Xiaofeng addresses yesterday’s “MGM Arts & Culture Docent Training Programme” graduation ceremony at MGM MACAU in Nape.
Junior docent Leong Wai Teng speaks to the media after the graduation ceremony in Nape. – Photos: Khalel Vallo
