Foreword

Founding an English-Slovak Bilingual School in Sucany, back in 1991, was one of the first projects of the British Government's newly established 'Know How Fund'. In those early days, the Fund was as yet only operating in Poland, Hungary and former Czechoslovakia. Today, the Know How Fund runs extensive programmes of economic and democratic assistance in countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. The growth and development of Sucany School has run parallel with that of the Know How Fund. It has involved close co-operation between us, the school, the Ministry of Education, which has cofinanced the project, and the British council, which has provided the training and consultancy. We have all learned much along the way. We have overcome difficulties, rejoiced in successes an d gained mutual enrichment from our shared experiences and achievements.

However, the aim of the Know How Fund is to provide a vehicle of support. Ironically, but I believe rightly, our goal is to make ourselves redundant, passing skills and knowledge on to our Slovak partners, so that they can operate independently and competitively in the new economic and social environment. After the crowning success of the maturita results and university acceptances that Sucany's first set of graduate studen ts achieved this year, the time for the Know How Fund to bow out has finally come. This will be done over a phased period, as the school gradually achieves full self-sustainability. However, our personal interest and involvement will go on long beyond the end of our direct support.

Sucany School is extraordinary in the literal sense of the word. I have been consistently impressed by the quality of the teaching and the calibre of the students. Many of these young people will be future business and political loaders of Slovakia and partners to the international community. They are highly intelligent and ambitious with a keen awareness of many of the complex issues that face developed societies today and of the central role of responsible business activity in their solution. In addition, they are able to communicate fluently in the primary international language - English.

For companies in today's highly competitive and globalised markets, nothing is more important than investment in personnel. Well-educated, highly motivated staff who can work and think internationally are essential to any company 5 success. The groundwork has been done at Sucany. The first results show how rich the soil is. It now needs long term support. I can say with confidence that anyone investing in this school will find, as we have, that their investment is returned many old. I recommend Sucany to you, wholeheartedly.

PETER HARBORNE - British Ambassador

The co-operation of the British council and the school has expired in July 1999.