Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the Outshining Exhibition of Jockey Club Ti-I College

9 January 2011 (Sunday)

The Opening Ceremony of the

Outshining Exhibition of Jockey Club Ti-I College

Speech by Mrs Cherry Tse, JP

Permanent Secretary for Education

Dr Quong, Honourable Guests, Parents, Teachers and Students,

I feel honoured to be invited to the opening ceremony of the “Outshining Exhibition” of Ti-I College.  The exhibition provides us not only with a good opportunity to appreciate the outstanding artworks of the alumni of Ti-I College, but also a valuable platform for sharing by the former and current students of Ti-I.

Hong Kong is physically small and devoid of natural resources.  Manpower is our only leverage to propel Hong Kong’s development.  Nurturing human resources diverse enough for a society as sophisticated as Hong Kong implies that we must have a broad curriculum spanning different Key Learning Areas and addressing the different needs of our students.

Our Visual Arts Curriculum focuses on developing students’ art knowledge and skills; and in the process of learning how to appreciate and produce works of art, students also, at the same time, have their cultural sensitivity, curiosity, keenness in observation, analytical ability and creativity much sharpened.  Not only would such learning experiences help Hong Kong nurture talents for our creative industries, more importantly, the aesthetic pursuits help enrich the lives of students and all those who come across their work of art.

The alumni joining this exhibition are all renowned artists and designers.  As active members of the local arts scene, they have contributed much to the cultural vibrancy of Hong Kong, making the place an enjoyable and exciting place in which to work and live.  This exhibition bears testimony to the sterling achievements of Ti-I College in realizing students’ potentials in art education.  I am confident that, in the years to come, the College will continue to scale new heights and be a much valued source of inspiration for many aspiring artists.

Finally, may I wish this exhibition every success, and all of you a Happy and Wonderful 2011.  Thank you.