XN000022-1986-12-04 — Page 3

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1986

SIR DAVID SAID THE SCHOOL WAS FOUNDED 50 YEARS AGO WITH THE IMPORTANT MISSION OF PROVIDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR GIRLS AT A TIME WHEN SUCH OPPORTUNITIES WERE NOT AS PLENTIFUL AS THEY ARE TODAY.

THE FINE TRADITION OF THE SCHOOL IN SYNTHESISING CHRISTIAN VALUES AND CHINESE VIRTUES HAD BEEN FIRMLY UPHELD BY TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ALIKE OVER THE YEARS, HE ADDED.

+THIS REMARKABLE ACHIEVEMENT CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO THE KEEN INTEREST AND UNFAILING SUPPORT OF THE SCHOOL MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE, TO THE ABLE LEADERSHIP AND INSPIRATION OF PAST AND PRESENT PRINCIPALS AND TO THE DEVOTION AND HARD WORK OF THE TEACHING STAFF AND OF THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES, HE SAID.

SIR DAVID SAID THE SCHOOL HAD GROWN FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH OVER THE PAST FIVE DECADES.

+A NEW BUILDING FOR THE SECONDARY SECTION WAS COMPLETED SOME 10 YEARS AGO AND A FURTHER EXTENSION HAS BEEN ADDED RECENTLY TO PROVIDE IMPROVED FACILITIES FOR THE SECONDARY AND PRIMARY SECTIONS AS WELL AS FOR THE KINDERGARTEN.

+THIS PROJECT WAS WHOLLY FINANCED BY THE SCHOOL ITSELF FROM ITS OWN RESOURCES AND THIS SERVES TO DEMONSTRATE THE DEGREE OF COMMITMENT TO CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVEMENT.+

ROLE OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES OUTLINED

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IT IS THE GOVERNMENT'S OBLIGATION TO PROVIDE THE RIGHT ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH WEALTH CAN GROW, BUT AS THAT WEALTH GROWS, THEN SO SHOULD THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE IMPROVED SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, MR PIERS JACOBS, SAID TODAY (THURSDAY).

HOWEVER, HE SAID WHAT THE GOVERNMENT TRIED NOT TO DO WAS SLIP INTO THE POSITION WHERE IT PROVIDED SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES OF ONE SORT OR ANOTHER THAT WERE IN FACT BEYOND ITS MEANS.

+ IF ONE FOLLOWS THAT COURSE OF ACTION, IT IS NOT LONG BEFORE THE SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES THEMSELVES BEGIN TO DETERIORATE BOTH IN QUALITY AND IN QUANTITY.

+50, CREATION OF THE WEALTH OF THE COMMUNITY FIRST, AND THEN A PROGRESSIVE IMPROVEMENT IN SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WITHIN OUR MEANS, HE SAID.

/SPEAKING AT