XN000022-1976-07-12 — Page 5

MONDAY, JULY 12, 1976..

HONG KONG STUDENTS CAN HOLD THEIR OWN ANYWHERE

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THE ACTING DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. COLVYN HAYE TODAY FAID TRIBUTE TO THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION'S STUDENTS AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME.

SPEAKING AT THE INAUGURATION OF THIS YEAR'S PROGRAMME,

MR. HAYE REMARKED THAT HONG KONG STUDENTS COULD HOLD THEIR OWN ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. HE CONGRATULATED THE YOUNG +AMBASSADORS+ SELECTED BY THE ASSOCIATION ON THEIR INITIATIVE.

MR. HAYE TOLD THE STUDENTS THAT THEY NEED HAVE NO FEARS WHEN THEY REPRESENTED HONG KONG OVERSEAS. THEY WERE AS GOOD IF NOT BETTER THAN THEIR COUNTERPARTS IN SCHOOLS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ELSEWHERE.

THE DIRECTOR SAID THAT HE WAS FREQUENTLY TOLD THAT THE LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEM PRODUCED NOTHING BUT STUFFED DUCKS. HE REJECTED THIS CRITICISM BY POINTING TO THE REMARKABLY HIGH STANDARDS ACHIEVED BY PRODUCTS OF THE LOCAL EDUCATION SYSTEM · STANDARDS WHICH STOOD COMPARISON WITH THE BEST IN THE WORLD. IT WAS A FACT THAT HONG KONG STUDENTS ACHIEVED SINGULAR DISTINCTION OVERSEAS. THEY WERE A CREDIT TO THE SYSTEM WHICH PRODUCED THEM.

IN ADDITION TO THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION'S STUDENTS AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME, MR. HAYE REMARKED THAT HE HAD RECENTLY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE SELECTION OF HONG KONG STUDENTS FOR UNITED WORLD COLLEGES' SCHOLARSHIPS AND FOR THE BEST STUDENT OF THE YEAR COMPETITION, THE RESULT OF WHICH WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY.

THIS EXPERIENCE CONFIRMED HIS HIGH OPINION OF HONG KONG STUDENTS WHICH WAS FURTHER UNDERLINED BY THE BRIGHT YOUNG PEOPLE HE WAS MEETING IN THE TOURIST ASSOCIATION'S STUDENTS AMBASSADOR PROGRAMME.

MR. HAYE ADVISED THE STUDENT AMBASSADORS+ TO MAINTAIN THEIR SELF-CONFIDENCE AND PRIDE IN HONG KONG, EVERYWHERE THEY WENT HONG KONG WOULD BE JUDGED BY THE PEOPLE WHO MET THEM. HONG KONG WOULD BE PERSONIFIED BY THE YOUNG +AMBASSADORS+ AND IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT THE STUDENT AMBASSADORS+ REMEMBERED THIS.

+HONG KONG IS A GREAT PLACE AND YOU ARE THE PRODUCTS OF THE HONG KONG SYSTEM,+ MR. HAYE SAID.

THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION'S STUDENTS AMBASSADOR SCHEME CELEBRATES ITS NINTH ANNIVERSARY TODAY. HUNDREDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE FOLLOWED A LIVELY COURSE PLANNED BY THE ASSOCIATION TO PROMOTE THEIR AWARENESS OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF HONG KONG WHICH THEY CAN DESCRIBE ABROAD.

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