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the 13th being a Saturday, there were no formal classes at the School. What took place was a supplementary class in Art and the number of those who turned up fell far short of the total number of students who were supposed to attend,
nor did all those who attended remain throughout the
scheduled period.
44.
Taking into account the total situation prevailing
at that time, we feel that there were sufficient grounds for the Education Department at least to suspend school activities for a period of time as a practical and justifiable move within a very narrow range of available options.
45.
In formulating its views on the closure of the
School, the Committee has taken note of a number of factors including, in particular, the following:
(a) The Education Ordinance provides the Director
of Education with the power to impose a
closure order on a school when he deems it
necessary, but makes no provision for the suspension of school activities. Although
the distinction is a very fine one and one
perhaps of terminology only, since closure for a specified period would, in effect, be the same as suspension, public reaction to the one could be significantly different
from that elicited by the other, especially
in view of the attitude of those parents who
felt aggrieved that the education of their
children had been arbitrarily terminated by
the closure,
/(b)