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Following is the full text of the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, at the Annual Speech Day of Diocesan Girls' School today (Friday):

Bishop Soo, Mrs Ho, Dr Symons, Mrs Lau, members of the School Council, teachers, parents, students, ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to be here this evening to share with you the joy of your Annual Speech Day.

Today must be a very special day for you. As graduates, you have completed an important stage of your education. It is time for you to bid farewell to your teachers who have taken such good care for you, and to old friends and schoolmates with whom you have shared many fond memories. Friendship in school days is friendship for a life time, and I know you will all cherish it.

Diocesan Girls' School has a long and distinguished history that goes back 137 years. Over these many years, it has built up a remarkable reputation. And deservedly so. DGS is a living demonstration of the essence of an all-round education. Its great success is evident by the achievements of its students and by its illustrious alumni. As students, you have excelled academically and as citizens of Hong Kong, you have participated actively in community services and indeed many have become leaders of our community. Much of these achievements is the result of the dedication and devotion of the School's Principal, teachers and staff. Here, I would like to pay tribute to your invaluable contribution to education in the Diocese and to Hong Kong generally.

Hong Kong's great asset is our people. Our resourcefulness and resilience have laid the foundation for Hong Kong's past success, and these qualities will continue to be the foundation for our future success. But our ability to remain competitive and to go from strength to strength depends on something more. It demands our ability to acquire, select and apply knowledge and information in new and creative ways. Learning skills and critical thinking are essential for us to excel in the competitive new era.

I attach great importance to education. The starting point for the development of an enlightened, knowledge-based community is good education. Nothing else is more important. Good education is central to developing the potential of our children so that they will learn to think independently and creatively, become mindful of social changes, and be equipped with the knowledge and skills which enable them to play an active role and a positive role in our society.

Students should study and learn not solely for the purpose of tackling examinations, but more importantly for the development of independent thinking, leadership skills, a broad outlook, a critical and yet sympathetic mind, and other personal qualities. We need to free the teaching and learning roles in schools from the straitjacket imposed by the pressure of public examinations. The Hong Kong Examinations Authority has commissioned a consultancy study on our examination system, with a view to ensuring that students' achievements will not be determined only by one examination. This, together with the review of educational aims by the Education Commission, will seek to improve the quality of education so as to meet the changing needs of our society. I urge all schools, parents, community organisations, the business sector and the general public to give your views on these very important subjects, so that we will all in the end benefit from a revitalised and effective education system.

Learning does not and should not, end at school. In an era of breathtaking changes, it is no longer possible to acquire in school all the skills and knowledge that adulthood will require. The only person who is educated is the person who has learned how to learn, how to adapt, and how to change.

Furthermore, education is not just about knowledge but also about values. A proper set of values is vital for the new generation to handle challenges and to cope with both successes and adversities : trust, love and respect for our family and our elders; integrity, honesty and respect for all; commitment to education; preference for consultation rather than confrontation; emphasis on our obligations to the community as a whole rather than just our rights as individuals. These values have been with us and with our community for thousands of years and are as relevant today as they have ever been. I hope you will hold these values dear to you in your journey through life.

For my life, I was very much influenced by my late father who as many of you know was an outstanding personality of his time. He was austere and demanding, partly because of his personality, but partly because I was the eldest son of the family. He was quite caring too, but he tried hard not to show it.

My father always emphasised to me on the importance of education and the importance of life long learning if one is to move ahead. Although he never had a proper education, he was able to be fluent in English and was able to recite "Three Hundred Tang Poems".

He also advised me that life is about the pursuit of happiness and that happiness can best be attained by being helpful to your friends, caring for your family and within your means and ability, always making contribution to the community you live.

As I set sail for the UK at the age of seventeen, my father said that you probably will be acquiring western culture and values, but you should never forget you are Chinese. My father who had seen the humiliation of China and lived through the Second World War and how impoverished the nation was, always hoped that the younger generation of Chinese would do as much as we can for our people and for our country.

I hope some of these thoughts may also be useful to you as you begin another stage of your life.

Indeed, as you start another stage of life, some may continue with studies, others take up employment, whatever your future plans, let me extend my congratulations to all that you have achieved, and my warmest blessings on what you are about to embark on. Many new challenges and opportunities are beckoning. Do remember that each and every one of you have an important role to play and contribute to the development of your home here in Hong Kong. Your years in DGS will have prepared you to take them on with confidence and in stride. Resilience. Resourcefulness and creativity. An aptitude for life-long learning. These are the qualities your education has instilled in you. Remember, you will be the masters of the next century. Our hope is upon you and your generation.

Thank you

End/Friday, November 27, 1998

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