XN000022-1984-07-24 — Page 5

TUESDAY, JULY 24, 1934

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RIGHT TO CHOOSE TYPES OF EDUCATION MUST BE PRESERVED

* * *

EV THE HON PATRICK MCGOVERN STRESSED THE NEED TO PRESERVE --ENTS' RIGHT TO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION THEIR CHILD SHOULD HAVE.

SPEAKING IN THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON +SOCIAL SYSTEM AND THE FUTURE OF HONG KONG+, FATHER MCGOVERN SAID, +UNABLE IN MODERN SOCIETY TO ENGAGE FULL-TIME IN ACADEMIC EDUCATION THEMSELVES, ARENTS IN SO FAR AS THEY CAN IN AN IMPERFECT WORLD, EXPRESS THEIR PREFERENCES BY THE IR CHOICE OF SCHOOL.+

+WHILE I AGREE THERE IS ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT IN OUR EDUCATION SYSTEM, I ALSO AGREE THAT THE BASE ON WHICH IT IS BUILT IS CORRECT, HE SAID.

+

HE POINTED OUT THAT HONG KONG HAD A BROAD CURRICULUM, INCLUDING NOWLEDGE OF RELIGION FOR THOSE WHO WANTED IT, AND SCOPE FOR WHAT ANY PARENTS WITH NO RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION WANTED A SOUND FOUNDATION IN ETHICAL, MORAL AND CIVIC PRINCIPLES.

+THESE PARENTS' RIGHTS, EXPRESSED THROUGH THEIR CHOICE OF VOLUNTARY BODIES AND AIDED BY GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION, MUST BE PRESERVED, AND HOPE, IMPROVED IN THE YEARS AHEAD, HE SAID.

ANOTHER RIGHT WHICH HE FELT MUST BE GUARANTEED IN THE AGREEMENT AND BASIC LAW WAS THE RIGHT TO ORGANISE AND BE A MEMBER OF FREE TRADE UNIONS.

+BY FREE I MEAN FREE FROM THE DOMINATION OF ANY POLITICAL PARTY, + HE SAID.

ELABORATING FURTHER ON WHAT HE MEANT BY THE WORD +FREE+ HE SAID, +1 HAVE NEVER ADVOCATED THAT TRADE UNIONS SHOULD NOT TAKE PART IN POLITICAL LIFE.

AND + IT IS THE DUTY OF A GOOD UNION TO USE ITS INFLUENCE, IF NECESSARY ITS POWER, TO ADVISE OR PRESSURISE GOVERNMENTS TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF WORKERS IF GOVERNMENTS ARE NEGLECTING THE IR DUTY IN THAT FIELD.

BUT IT IS VERY

+THAT IS OF COURSE A POLITICAL ACTIVITY. DIFFERENT FROM BEING DOMINATED BY A POLITICAL PARTY.+

+THE DANGER IN TOO CLOSE A CONNECTION WITH A PARTY IS THAT THE WORKERS AND THE POWER OF A UNION WILL BE USED FOR THE POLITICAL PURPOSES OF THE PARTY RATHER THAN THE PROTECTION OF THE UNION MEMBERS, HE ADDED.

+ IN A NON-MARXIST COUNTRY, FOR EXAMPLE, THE UNIONS CAN BE USED EITHER TO DISRUPT THE ECONOMY AND THUS TRY TO OVERTHROW THE ELECTED GOVERNMENT, OR BY FUTILE STRIKES MAKE THE WORKEPS 30 DESPERATE AND POOR THAT THEY RESORT TO VIOLENCE, AND FROM THE MARXIST POINT OF VIEW, RIPE FOR REVOLUTION, HE SAID.

/WITHIN A