CTBC Bank’s “Love Passes the Ball” Program Earns Education Ministry Recognition

Preface

CTBC Bank (中國信託商業銀行) developed the “Love Passes the Ball” program to support students at risk of leaving school before graduation. Working with schools across Taiwan, the initiative combines basketball activities with anti-drug education and financial literacy lessons. Its goal is to give students meaningful opportunities to participate, build relationships, and develop skills that support their continued education. The program has received the Ministry of Education’s national award for outstanding dropout prevention and school re-engagement work for two consecutive years, and was the only private-sector company recognized this year. Since launching in 2022, it has assisted more than 3,600 students and received 8 awards in Taiwan and abroad. This article explains how the program operates, what its educational components involve, and how schools and community partners describe its impact.

Lazy bag

“Love Passes the Ball” uses basketball as a way to connect students with school, supportive adults, and practical learning. In partnership with 23 junior high schools across Taiwan, the program helps establish basketball clubs and organizes introductory activities and exchange games. Professional players join students on campus, while lessons and workshops address anti-drug awareness and personal finance. The central aim is not simply to teach basketball: it is to encourage regular attendance, strengthen motivation and confidence, and help students develop habits and knowledge for life beyond the court. The Ministry of Education has recognized CTBC Bank for two consecutive years, with the bank the sole private company honored this year.

Main Body

CTBC Bank’s “Love Passes the Ball” program brings together schools, business partners, and nonprofit organizations to support students who may face challenges attending school consistently. It works with junior high schools across Taiwan, including schools with special programs for students requiring additional care. Rather than relying on a single intervention, the program uses basketball as an engaging point of connection and combines it with educational activities focused on students’ well-being and future development.

The Ministry of Education held its “115th Annual National Dropout Prevention Work Handover Seminar and Recognition Ceremony” on the 29th. The event was attended by Dai Shufen, Deputy Director-General of the Ministry’s K-12 Education Administration. A total of 41 outstanding organizations from schools, government agencies, and community groups received recognition. The ministry commended CTBC Bank for using an innovative approach in cooperation with schools to prevent students from dropping out and to help create a positive environment for their growth. CTBC Bank was the only private-sector company among this year’s award recipients and has received the national award for outstanding dropout prevention and school re-engagement work for two consecutive years.

Representing the bank at the ceremony, Lin Yongsheng, Senior Executive Vice President and Deputy Secretary-General of the Board of CTBC Financial Holding, described the program as a partnership among businesses, schools, and public-interest organizations. Basketball provides a shared activity through which students can build routines, relationships, and a sense of belonging. The program also seeks to carry the discipline and teamwork practiced on the court into students’ everyday lives. In this way, the sport serves both as an activity and as a framework for encouraging persistence, cooperation, and constructive engagement with school.

Across Taiwan, the program works with 23 junior high schools. It supports the creation of school basketball clubs and organizes basketball introduction activities and exchange games. These experiences give students a place to try new skills, express themselves, and develop confidence. Team participation can also help students feel connected to their peers and school community—factors that may strengthen their willingness to attend classes and take part in learning. The format creates opportunities for students to participate at different levels, whether they are discovering basketball for the first time or developing a more sustained interest in the sport.

The New Taipei CTBC DEA professional basketball team, referred to as CTBC DEA, also takes part. Its players visit schools to practice with students and talk about setbacks and the effort involved in pursuing a basketball career. These visits offer students direct interaction with athletes and a chance to hear how determination and persistence can matter when working toward a goal. The program also held a basketball career exploration activity this year. CTBC DEA representatives introduced students to the range of roles in the sports industry, broadening the discussion beyond becoming a professional player to include other work connected with sport.

In August, the program invited National Basketball Association (NBA) star Jimmy Butler to serve as head coach of a charitable anti-drug basketball camp. Butler spoke about overcoming adversity and continuing to pursue his aspirations. His experience was used to encourage participating students to believe in themselves and face challenges with courage. The camp combined basketball instruction with a message about resilience, reinforcing the program’s effort to connect positive role models and personal development with students’ school experience.

Education beyond the court is another core part of the initiative. Anti-drug learning is delivered through camps, board games, and other activities organized by the CTBC Anti-Drug Education Foundation (中國信託反毒教育基金會). These formats aim to help students recognize risks and develop awareness of how to protect themselves. By presenting the subject through interactive experiences, educators can create opportunities for students to discuss decisions and practice applying what they learn, rather than treating prevention as a topic confined to a lecture.

The program also introduces financial education. Instructors from the CTBC Museum (中國信託文薈館) teach concepts such as managing money, spending rationally, and living within one’s means. These lessons are intended to help students develop financial literacy that can be useful throughout their lives. Together, anti-drug education and personal finance lessons expand the program’s scope: students participate in a team activity while also gaining knowledge relevant to personal safety and everyday decision-making.

Teachers involved in the program say its influence goes beyond promoting basketball. They describe the initiative as a source of psychological support and character education for students. One account concerns a student who had a pattern of missing school. After joining a basketball club, the student developed more consistent habits and now attends school on time despite commuting across county or city lines each week. The student’s academic performance has also improved significantly. The example illustrates how a sustained interest and a supportive school activity may help a young person build routines that extend beyond practice sessions.

Another participating student continued pursuing a basketball goal after graduation and appeared for the first time this year in the High School Basketball League (HBL). The student recorded 15 rebounds in a single game. The achievement represents an individual sporting milestone, but it also reflects the program’s broader aim: helping students develop confidence and commitment while remaining connected to education. Outcomes will naturally differ from student to student, yet these accounts show how a school club can become a setting for both personal growth and continued participation in learning.

Since beginning in 2022, “Love Passes the Ball” has assisted more than 3,600 students and received 8 awards in Taiwan and abroad. Its recognition by the Ministry of Education for two consecutive years reflects the program’s place among initiatives addressing dropout prevention and school re-engagement. The approach combines regular school partnerships, sports participation, interaction with professional athletes, and learning in areas such as drug prevention and personal finance. Its reported results and teacher experiences point to the potential value of coordinated support: students may gain reasons to attend, relationships that encourage participation, and practical skills for handling future challenges.

The program’s work is therefore best understood as a collaboration rather than a basketball project alone. Schools provide the setting and relationships needed for ongoing support; community and charitable partners contribute specialized educational resources; and athletes offer students opportunities to learn from lived experience. For students at risk of disengaging, a welcoming team environment can create an additional connection to school. By linking that connection to broader educational content, “Love Passes the Ball” seeks to support both attendance and development beyond the classroom.

At its core, the program uses a shared interest in basketball to make school participation more engaging while connecting students with supportive adults and useful learning. Its emphasis on attendance, confidence, teamwork, personal safety, and financial awareness offers a broad model of student support. The Ministry’s recognition highlights the role that partnerships between businesses and schools can play in dropout prevention, while the participating students’ experiences show how consistent encouragement can help young people move toward their own goals.

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