Taipei, Sept. 28 (CNA) Republic of China President Chen Shui-bian presented awards and citations Thursday to nearly 1,000 outstanding teachers from around the island on Teachers' Day.
He expressed his respect for the teachers' dedication to the cultivation of the country's talents, especially the teachers who are from the earthquake-stricken areas, as they have had to continue teaching while helping with reconstruction work.
The awards-presentation ceremony was held at the Chungshan Building on Yangmingshan. Education Minister Ovid Tseng and other ranking officials were also present.
Addressing the ceremony, Chen said that the island's education should focus on five targets: regarding Taiwan as an entity in its own right; giving priority to students' needs; maintaining independent management of education; pursuing a high educational level; and creating a society imbued with the spirit of lifetime study.