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Following is the speech (English only) by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, at the Opening Ceremony of the Canadian International School of Hong Kong today (Thursday):
Mrs Lee, Mr Ho-kin Li, Consul-General, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls,
This morning, I was in Beijing and I almost didn't make it back. But you know, as your Honorary Patron, I have taken more than a passing interest in this school project. So, I can truly say that I am delighted to be standing here today with you all to officially open these stunning new premises overlooking the very birth place of modern Hong Kong. I know how much hard work, dedication and commitment has gone into reaching this proud moment - and not a little anxiety as all of those involved had to pull off what was described in a letter to me as a 'final quarter miracle' to guarantee that the students could start the second semester last January.
Now I have to confess that I am not an authority on sporting matters, but I am reliably informed that a recently retired Canadian icon by the name of Mr Wayne Gretzky just might testify that 'last quarter miracles' produce the sweetest, most-savoured results.
I think we can all agree that there is much to savour about the new Canadian International School. That's true for the Board of Governors, the staff, the teachers, parents and children- indeed, for the community at large. Certainly, the Hong Kong Government has been pleased to play a role through our policy of granting land at a nominal premium and the provision of an interest-free capital loan. I believe that a number of our bureaux and departments also had something to do with getting the puck in the back of the net to complete that 'miracle last quarter' on a winning note!
This may be a good point at which to emphasise the Special Administrative Region Government's commitment to the international community in Hong Kong. Our policy of providing practical help and moral support and encouragement for the establishment and growth of international schools in Hong Kong is an important manifestation of that.
We now have 43 international schools in the SAR providing education for 24,000 students of some 25 nationalities. I think you only have to look into the young faces in our audience today to understand that. While half of the students here are Canadians - and many of those are of a Hong Kong origin - there are others from the US and Indonesia, Australia and India, Denmark and Thailand, Korea and Brazil, Saudi Arabia and - most recently - from Russia. This is a microcosm of the diversity and cosmopolitan nature of this very special Chinese city.
Many of the children who graduate from this and other international schools in Hong Kong will, we hope, stay on to further enrich our society professionally, economically and culturally. And for those who don't, I hope you will carry enduring and positive memories of your school days and the place in which you spent them. We hope there will always be a special place in your hearts for Hong Kong, no matter where you are.
Hong Kong-Canada ties go back many generations, and they have been strengthened in recent years. People from Hong Kong have made many notable contributions to their adopted country, and Canadians have made a lasting impact here in Hong Kong. We will never forget the bravery and selflessness of the Canadians who gave their lives in the defence of this territory nearly 60 years ago. I think they would be proud of what they could see here today.
A school opening is an important event in the life of any community, and especially one like Hong Kong where we honour the whole idea of education; where parents are prepared to make any sacrifice to see that their children are given every opportunity to learn and progress; to take their place in and contribute to society. It says something about the Canadian International School's commitment to that ideal when you consider that from very small beginnings in 1991 you have outgrown three separate campuses, enrolment has now topped 700 and for the first time this year you will be graduating students from Grade 12. I think it is nice to be in a school where kids from 4 through to 18 intermingle under the one roof.
In the broader context, the citizens of Hong Kong can be assured that the government has no higher priority than education. Education takes the lion's share of the government's budget, with annual recurrent expenditure of $44 billion. This represents over 20% - or every fifth dollar - of our overall expenditure. The Education Commission is in the midst of a public consultation process about across-the-board education reform; the Education Department itself is undergoing positive school-friendly change; we have launched a 5-year strategy to integrate and embed information technology in the system; to give parents more choices, we have a scheme to encourage diversity in the operation of the directly subsidised and private independent schools; and we have set up a richly-endowed fund to stimulate innovation, competition and self-motivated reforms in primary and secondary schools.
I know that many people have given generously of their time and dug deep into their pockets to make this project a reality. I wish to congratulate each and everyone of them. In particular I would like to thank on your behalf the past and present members of the Board of Governors and of the Fund Raising and PR Committee. John Higginbotham, the former Consul General of Canada also had a good deal to do with this project. As you know, he is now with the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC. Although he cannot be with us today physically, I'm sure he is with us in spirit.
Finally, and more importantly, I want to offer the students - for whom, after all, all this effort has been made - the best of luck and good wishes for the academic excellence you will pursue and the lessons in life you will learn in this place. The students have been given an environment in which it should be a pleasure to study and fun to enjoy their sporting, recreational, cultural and social interests. And I hope, as the students move on, they can look back on their time at the Canadian International School as very happy days.
Thank you very much.
End/Thursday, May 6, 1999
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