TNAG-0053-FCO40-89-Communist-activities-in-schools-1968 — Page 23

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CONFIDENTIAL

raised by unofficial members of the Executive

Council.

One member had expressed strong views

on the need to curb the communists' expansionist

A similar line had also

schools programme.

been taken by the non-communist press and

petitions from twenty-three heads of local

organisations and prominent citizens in the

New Territories had been received protesting

against the proposed establishment of a

communist school in that area. On 13 September

the Governor reported (Hong Kong telegram 1076)

that of the twenty-five new communist schools

already mentioned, twenty-one were known to be

already operating. Four of these had been duly

registered: a further six had submitted

formal applications for registration, which

were being processed; eight had not yet

submitted their application forms to the

Education Department: two had not yet notified

the education authorities of their desire to

operate; and one had had its formal

application rejected because of its location

(over a dangerous goods store). The remaining

four schools had not yet started to operate

and had not notified the Education Department

of their desire to do so. The Governor added

that there was no sign of any further branch

or extension schools being planned and that

the communists appeared to have reached their

target for the current year. The number of

children attending these new

7,280

roughly estimated at 2780.

schools is very

This brings the

total number of children in communist schools

/to approximately

CONFIDENTIAL