The Chief Executive, Mr Tung Chee Hwa, said today that "Building Hong Kong on Education" was one of the priorities of the Special Administrative Region (SAR) Government.

Mr Tung said that education in Hong Kong should maintain its diversity and incorporate the strength of the Chinese and western cultures. It should also improve students' understanding of Chinese culture and history, thus encouraging them to care more for the future of our country.

Speaking at the closing ceremony of the "Building Hong Kong on Education" project, Mr Tung stressed the importance of drawing up a comprehensive plan and injecting sufficient resources to improve the quality of education.

He said: "We will speed up the implementation of full-day schooling to all primary schools and strengthen the standard of language training and information technology. We will also promote a balanced development on 'ethics, the intellect, the physique, social skills and aesthetics', and enhance students' understanding of Hong Kong, our country and the world.

He added: "The Government is committed to raising the professional qualification of teachers and upgrading tertiary education."

He hoped that young people of Hong Kong in the next century would treasure traditional Chinese virtues and have a new mission towards oneself, the family and the country. They should be able to distinguish between right and wrong, care for the community and keep up with the times.

He also hoped that young people could obtain a wide range of knowledge, think independently and have good communication skills.

The "Building Hong Kong on Education" project featured a roving exhibition, an international conference on "Language, Education and Culture", a gala week and a series of school and community building activities. It was jointly organised by the Home Affairs Department and Lingnan College with the assistance of seven other University Grants Committee-funded tertiary institutions to celebrate the reunification of Hong Kong with China.

Concluding the project today was a closing ceremony cum grand finale at Tuen Mun Town Hall which featured musical performance by the Hwa Xia Chinese Ensemble and local pop singers.