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Following is the transcript (English portion) of the media session given by the Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, and the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mrs Fanny Law, after visiting the Tai Po Joint Admission Centre:

Reporter: Mr Tung, what is your advice for the students who don't obtain satisfactory results?

Chief Executive: For those who unfortunately had not obtained satisfactory results, my advice is that don't give up, keep on trying. Some are late bloomers and, you know, life-long learning is very important. Keep on trying, they will get there.

Reporter: What is your reaction or response to the results to the HKCEE? Are you satisfied with the results of the examination?

Chief Executive: Well, the results in general are somewhat better than last year's. Of course, we are happy with it. But we need to do a whole lot more. Education is the most fundamental success factor for Hong Kong's future. And there is a lot we need to do as a community. We need to accelerate the reform of our overall education. We need to raise the quality of education and we need to increase the available capacity for students. I think this is the objective which is shared by the entire community.

Reporter: Is it unfair that since admittance procedures are on a first-come-first-served basis, some students may not have the opportunity to study in the Project Springboard? Are you going to review the system and to add more places in this system?

Secretary for Education and Manpower: In fact, as I said earlier, we would consider seriously expanding the provision of places for the Springboard Project.

Chief Executive's transcript(Chinese part)

Photo(1):Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, being briefed by a teacher on the operation of the Joint Admission Centre.

Photo(2):Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, chatting with some Secondary 5 students at the Joint Admission Centre.

End/Wednesday, August 9, 2000

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