XN000022-1978-01-19 — Page 3

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THURSDAY, JANUARY 19, 1978

+THIS IS THE GREAT CHALLENGE OF THE YEARS AHEAD. THANKS IN LARGE PART TO THE EFFORTS OF SCHOOL AND VOLUNTARY BODIES SUCH AS YOURS, HONG KONG HAS AN ENVIABLE RECORD IN EDUCATION AND A FIRM BASI ON WHICH TO BUILD. WE NOW NEED A MASSIVE EXPANSION, AND WE NEED IT QUICKLY - THIS IS BOTH SOCIALLY RIGHT AND ECONOMICALLY IMPERATIVE.

+TO SUCCEED WE ALSO NEED TO WORK FOR A GOOD BALANCE BETWEEN ACADEMIC AND PRACTICAL EDUCATION IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS. THE DIOCESAN GIRLS' SCHOOL DOES A PARTICULARLY FINE JOB HERE BY STRESSING THE IMPORTANCE OF PRACTICAL SUBJECTS LIKE MUSIC, ART AND DOMESTIC SCIENCE, BUT AT THE SAME TIME MAINTAINING AN ADMIRABLE STANDARD ON ACADEMIC SUBJECTS.

+EDUCATION IS NOT ONLY THE ACQUISITION OF PARTICULAR SKILLS BUT THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF A STUDENT'S ABILITY TO DEVELOP SKILLS AND TO UNDERSTAND HIS OR HER OWN POTENTIAL. SO THE WIDER AND BETTER EALANCED THE CURRICULUM THE GREATER THE CHANCE OF STRIKING IN EACH STUDENT A CHORD OF SPECIAL INTEREST OR SELF-KNOWLEDGE.

+ THE DIOCESAN GIRLS' SCHOOL HAS BEEN BLESSED WITH DEDICATED AND ABLE PRINCIPALS AND STAFF AND HAS DEVELOPED A TRADITION WHICH IS WELL-KNOWN THROUGHOUT HONG KONG AND OF WHICH IT CAN JUSTLY BE PROUD. I AM PARTICULARLY GLAD TO SAY THIS IN THE PRESENCE OF MRS SYMONS WHO HAS MADE SUCH A NOTABLE PERSONAL CONTRIBUTION TO THIS SCHOOL, JUST AS SHE HAS MADE SUCH A CONTRIBUTION IN THE WIDER SPHERE OF GOVERNMENT. I AM SURE THAT WITH SUCH A NOTABLE TRADITION BEHIND YOU AND SUCH WISE GUIDANCE TO LEAD YOU, THE DIOCESAN GIRLS' SCHOOL WILL MAKE THE SAME HIGH CONTRIBUTION IN THE NEW ERA OF EDUCATION INTO WHICH WE ARE ENTERING AS IT HAS DONE DURING THE LAST ONE HUNDRED YEARS WE ARE HERE TO COMMEMORATE.

+ IN THIS VENTURE, I WISH YOU ALL POSSIBLE SUCCESS.+

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