Speech at the Hong Kong Annual Gifted Education Conference 2009

16 May 2009 (Saturday)

家校齊協力 資優展潛能

The Young Bright Minds Fly Out From Their Homes

Hong Kong Annual Gifted Education Conference 2009

Speech by Mr. Michael M Y Suen, GBS, JP

Secretary for Education

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to join you this morning at the Hong Kong Annual Gifted Education Conference 2009.

A supportive family is vital to the all-round development of children.  There is no exception for gifted and talented children.  Schools and parents need to work hand-in-hand to nurture gifted children to become healthy, confident and energetic young leaders.  On our part, we work in close partnership with these caretakers and provide professional and other support to them. 

The full operation of the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education has turned a new page in gifted education in Hong Kong.  The Academy is now providing teachers, gifted students and their parents with various off-site training programmes and support.  It has also launched a dedicated website from which parents of gifted children can search for useful information.  To help parents meet the needs of their gifted children, the Academy operates a Parent Consultation Centre and publishes regular newsletters to advise on parenting knowledge and skills.  All these complement the school-based programmes provided by schools and the Education Bureau. 

Later this morning, you will have exchanges on how the multiple intelligences and individual uniqueness of gifted children should be supported in schools and at home.  I wish you all a productive conference.  May I congratulate all those who have worked hard to make this conference a success.  My gratitude also goes to the Hong Kong Academy for Gifted Education for co-organising the conference with us, and St. Paul’s Convent School for providing the venue and other assistance.  

Thank you.