************************************************************
Following is the speech by the Financial Secretary, Mr John C Tsang, at the graduation ceremony of the YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College in Tung Chung today (May 29):
Reverend Ma, Mr Yip, school managers, Dr Miller, distinguished guests, parents, teachers and students,
Good afternoon.
It is a great pleasure for me to join you all today. I always enjoy attending graduation ceremonies because they celebrate the success of our young people ¡V our future generation. And meeting you all, I can see that the future looks bright indeed.
But before the students who are graduating here today get too carried away with their own achievements, I would like you all to take a moment to think about those who have helped you make this day possible. Yes, I am referring to your parents, your guardians and your teachers.
No doubt, there were many hills for you to climb in the long build up to your graduation. Today, your persistence, your commitment and your hard work have paid off.
I have spoken at many graduation ceremonies, and every school is different. You are, indeed, fortunate to have these great facilities here on Lantau, a spacious environment and a dedicated teaching staff. I notice that you also have a great mix of students and staff from around the world. Sort of like a mini UN. This diverse learning environment will help to give you all a strong foundation on which to launch your next adventures.
Not only is every school different, but so too is every student. My only advice to you as you graduate is to find something you like doing ¡V and then do it as well as you can for as long as you can.
Recently, there has been much said and written about the Post-80s and Post-90s generation in Hong Kong. Your strong environmental awareness, your sense of belonging, your individuality, your self-confidence. And like generations before you, there is a desire to change the world for the better.
Former South African President, Nelson Mandela, knew a thing or two about change. He once said, and I quote: ¡§Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.¡¨ End quote.
This school has empowered you with the knowledge to start making the changes that you desire.
One change that is taking place in Hong Kong is our progress towards universal suffrage.
The Government¡¦s latest constitutional reform package is expected to be voted on by the Legislative Council before the summer break in July. Opinion polls show that some 50 to 60 per cent of the public consider that our legislature should endorse the proposed package.
If you are not familiar with the details of the reform package, please do take some time to check it out on the Internet.
I can assure you that Government has not been standing still on this issue, and passage through LegCo would be an important step forward for the democratic reform process. The Government will continue to work, in an orderly manner, towards universal suffrage for the Chief Executive elections in 2017 and for the Legislative Council elections in 2020.
In the meantime, we will make steady progress in making the election process more democratic for the CE and LegCo elections in 2012. This is the best way forward as we move towards the ultimate goal of universal suffrage.
Another important area of reform in a changing world is, of course, education.
I believe that providing a well-rounded education is the key to preparing our young people to become good global citizens. We must equip our youngsters with a sound knowledge of world affairs and the desire for lifelong learning.
Hong Kong launched its Education Reform at the turn of the century, aiming to enhance the overall standards of students in respect of languages, mathematics, problem-solving skills, creativity and communication skills.
The New Senior Secondary Curriculum is designed to provide students with a complete broad and balanced senior secondary education, enabling them to be proactive and self-motivated lifelong learners. This will help all students meet the challenges ahead.
Here at the YMCA of Hong Kong Christian College, students have the opportunity to study in a vibrant international environment. The cultural and language diversities among students and teachers make this school conducive to learning across cultures and understanding and appreciating peoples of different nationalities and races.
Please make the most of this springboard to success here in Asia¡¦s world city and beyond.
I am impressed that the College makes every effort to realise its motto: ¡§Faith and Strength¡¨ by developing the school as a learning community based on strong Christian beliefs and values. I congratulate the College on its success in cultivating an ideal environment for the growth and development of our young people of different nationalities and cultural backgrounds.
Students should also remember that graduation is not the end of the journey, but a new beginning.
I would like to leave you with another thought from the wise statesman, Mr Mandela. He once said, and I quote: ¡§After climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are more hills to climb.¡¨ End quote.
With this in mind, I congratulate all students on your accomplishments so far, and wish you every success in scaling new heights in the years to come.
Thank you very much.
Ends/Saturday, May 29, 2010
Issued at HKT 14:25
NNNN
Windows Media format
Real Media format