XN000022-1975-03-26 — Page 2

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1975

EDUCATION DIRECTOR WELCOMES CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM

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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS ALWAYS READY TO LOOK INTO COMPLAINTS AND TO LISTEN TO COMMENTS AND SUGGESTIONS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY SAID TODAY.

HE WAS ADDRESSING THE AUDIENCE AT THE FIRST JOINT VARIETY SHOW ORGANISED BY THE HONG KONG PRIVATE ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION AT THE CITY HALL..

+ FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE ARE TO HAVE A HEALTHIER SOCIETY, A BETTER HONG KONG, IT IS ONLY RIGHT THAT PEOPLE, PARTICULARLY STUDENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE, SHOULD BE FREE TO MAKE CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISMS OF WHAT THEY THINK IS WRONG IN THE PRESENT SYSTEM OF THINGS, MR. TOPLEY SAID.

BUT THE DIRECTOR POINTED OUT THAT WHILE IT IS RIGHT AND PROPER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST WHAT THEY THINK IS WRONG. IT IS ALSO NECESSARY FOR THEM TO DEVELOP GOOD JUDGMENT, TO RESPECT OTHER PEOPLE'S VIEWS, AND IN GENERAL, NOT TO LOOK AT THINGS NARROWLY ONLY FROM THEIR OWN POINT OF VIEW.*

IN THIS PRESENT CLIMATE, THE DIRECTOR SAID, IT WAS SO EASY TO MAKE COMPLAINTS WITHOUT BOTHERING TO FIND OUT WHETHER THEY WERE JUSTIFIED.

+WORSE STILL, IT IS SO EASY FOR US TO BE INVOLVED IN PROTESTS SIMPLY BECAUSE IT IS FASHIONABLE TO PROTEST, HE ADDED.

ONE ASPECT OF CHINESE CULTURE WHICH THE DIRECTOR THOUGHT MUST BE PRESERVED, WAS THE RESPECT FOR TEACHERS AND FOR EDUCATION IN GENERAL.

+THIS DOES NOT MEAN OF COURSE THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW OUR HEADMASTERS AND OUR TEACHERS BLINDLY,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.

URGING PUPILS NOT TO BELIEVE BLINDLY EVERYTHING THAT OTHER PEOPLE SAY, HE TOLD THEM TO SEE THINGS IN PROPER PERSPECTIVE, TO TRY TO SEE THE OTHER PERSON'S POINT OF VIEW, TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND TO DETERMINE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT WAS RIGHT AND WHAT WAS WRONG.

+BY ALL MEANS, BE CRITICAL IN YOUR THINKING, AND DO NOT BE

BUT AFRAID TO SPEAK OUT IF YOU SINCERELY BELIEVE YOU ARE RIGHT. YOU SHOULD ALSO LISTEN TO THE REPLY AND YOU MAY FIND IN THE LONG RUN THAT ONE OF THE MOST VALUABLE THINGS YOU CAN LEARN FOR LIFE IS THE CAPACITY TO LISTEN, ACTUALLY LISTEN, TO WHAT SOMEONE ELSE IS SAYING.

/+IT IS WHAT