The Chief Executive's Award for Teaching Excellence is an important milestone in the professionalisation of the teaching force in Hong Kong. Endorsed personally by the Chief Executive, the Award re-affirms the importance which the Special Administrative Region attaches to education and recognizes the key role of teachers in the provision of quality education.

The Award does not seek to identify all-round teachers but to recognize exemplary teaching practices which result in effective student learning with deep understanding. This is the ultimate objective of the on-going education reform.

I am very pleased to see that after a vigorous process of assessment, more than 50 individual and groups of teachers have been selected for the Award and Certificate of Merit. They are recognized for their professional competence in language teaching, their commitment to the teaching profession and the community, and their contribution to student achievement and school development. These awards bear testimony to the talents that exist among our language teachers. They deserve our highest respect and honour.

I congratulate the award recipients on their accomplishments and look to them for support in continually upgrading the quality of language education in Hong Kong.