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The following is the first e-mail message from the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, sent to all school heads and teachers in Hong Kong today (Monday).

School Heads and Teachers,

Happy New Year! This is not only my first e-mail to all school heads and teachers in Hong Kong, but also my first letter in the new millennium. I write to you at the dawn of the new year as I firmly believe that there is nothing more important in Hong Kong than education. Education is the key to sustainable economic development. Education also provides all citizens with an equal opportunity to improve their quality of life and that of their families. I recognise, and I know the entire community recognise, that no one else shoulders heavier responsibilities in providing quality education for our youth than you do.

I am sending this message to you via e-mail because I know all teachers at all levels are, as of now, on e-mail. E-mail is a much quicker means of communication. It is also environmentally friendly. E-mail by its nature is also more informal, direct, and straightforward. I hope all of you will grasp this opportunity to network with other teachers, to communicate and to share your experience in teaching. If Hong Kong is truly to become a cyberhub, all our citizens must be at ease with technology, including the use of the most efficient means of communication. As teachers, one of your greatest challenges will be to inculcate the culture of innovation and technology into our youth. It is a formidable task and I hope you will all rise to the occasion.

As you know, the Education Commission is undertaking extensive public consultation on the education system that is needed for Hong Kong to meet the challenges of the new millennium. It is a matter concerning each and every member of the community. As frontline educators, your participation and support is essential and indeed vital. Please therefore give us your advice, so that the Commission can take it into account when finalising its recommendations. You can do so by sending your views and comments direct to the Education Commission, or the Secretary for Education and Manpower, or the Director of Education. I shall also be pleased to receive your e-mail. Our e-mail addresses are:

Education Commission: EC_chairman@netvigator.com

Secretary for Education and Manpower: embhome@emb.gcn.gov.hk

Director of Education: ed@ed.gcn.gov.hk

Chief Executive of HKSAR: ceo@ceo.gcn.gov.hk

In closing, I would like to share with you in the New Year a saying by Albert Einstein: "Teaching should be such that what is offered is perceived as a valuable gift and not as a hard duty". May I wish you and your families good health and every success in the New Millennium!

TUNG Chee Hwa

Chief Executive of the HKSAR

End/Monday, January 3, 2000

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