The 9th World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals 2009 was officially declared open by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who also delivered the first keynote speech of the convention.

TRANSCRIPT OF PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG'S SPEECH AT THE 9th WORLD CONVENTION OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFEDERATION OF PRINCIPALS ON 7JULY 2009 AT SUNTEC CITY CONVENTION CENTRE

Minister Ng Eng Hen, education ministers and senior officials from Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Sweden and the US, ladies and gentlemen. A very warm welcome to all of you to this 9th World Convention of the International Confederation of Principals. I am told we have principals and teachers from 40 countries - 1,500 of you. We are also privileged to welcome education ministers from different countries for the 1st International Education Roundtable.

Education is the most vital investment that societies can make for their future. In today's knowledge-based world, it is the only sustainable basis for progress, for prosperity, for generating growth, and it is also a vital ingredient in building a sense of identity of values, social cohesion of who we are in a confusing and rapidly changing world. It is the way to lift and help disadvantaged communities and the poor to advance and to do better in the next generation, and it is crucial for developing economies if they are to go beyond being developing economies and reach developed status one day.

Education also bridges dissimilar cultures and promotes understandings between different peoples and, therefore, a key priority for many different countries, whatever their preoccupations, wherever they may be in the world, is to upgrade their education systems. This convention is a chance to share our experiences, pick up new, good ideas, learn from one another and go back and a do a little better. Today, I will talk something about what we have done in Singapore, what our experience has been, what we have sought to achieve and later on in our dialogues, I hope we will have a chance to learn of your experiences and what we may pick up from one another.

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