IMMEDIATE
CYPHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 310403Z
RESTRICTED
RESTRICTED
RECEIVED IN
ĮREGISTRY No. 51
- CEC1971
AKK 8/3
TO IMMEDIATE FCO TELNO 899 OF 1ST DECEMBER 1971.
YOUR TELEGRAM NO. 691.
LAST
REF.
NEXI
72
مد
TOD COPY
(70)
i
PARLIAMENTARY QUESTION BY MR. JAMES JOHNSON.
REF.
1. THE CHINESE LANGUAGE COMMITTEE HAS RECENTLY SURMITTED FOUR
VALUABLE AND VOLUMINOUS REPORTS ON THE DIFFICULT AND SENSITIVE
SUBJECT OF THE USE OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE IN OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND, AS PART OF THIS, DISCUSSED THE USE OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE IN
EDUCATION. EIGHT COPIES OF THE COMMITTEE'S REPORTS, WHICH WERE
TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, HAVE BEEN FORWARDED TO THE
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE BY THE GOVERNMENT PRINTER (LAST SEND BY SEA MAIL AT END OF AUGUST), I SUGGEST THAT THE ANSWER TO MR. JOHNSON'S QUESTION IS THAT HE SHOULD BE INVITED TO READ
THESE REPORTS AND PARTICULARLY THE FOURTH REPORT WHICH DEALS
SPECIFICALLY WITH EDUCATION MATTERS. ADDITIONAL COPIES CAN BE
PROVIDED IF REQUIRED.
2. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO CONDENSE THE EXTREMELY COMPLEX
PROBLEM OF THE MEDIUM OF INSTRUCTION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS INTO
A SUITABLE REPLY AT 24 HOURS NOTICE BUT, IF YOU FEEL BOUND
TO REPLY TO THE QUESTION IMMEDIATELY, I SUGGEST SOMETHING ON THE
FOLLOWING LINES:
** THERE ARE TWO MAJOR TYPES OF SECONDARY SCHOOL IN HONG KONG, ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOLS AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOLS,
WHICH FORM THE MAJORITY, TEACH-ALL SUBJECTS, WITH
THE EXCEPTION OF CHINESE STUDIES, THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF ENGLISH. MIDDLE SCHOOLS TEACH ALL SUBJECTS EXCEPT ENGLISH THROUGH THE
MEDIUM OF CHINESE. THE SCOPE OF THE EDUCATION PROVIDED IS FOR ALL
PRACTICAL PURPOSES THE SAME IN BOTH TYPES OF SCHOOLS. THE
ANGLO-CHINESE SCHOOLS ARE, BY AND LARGE, MORE POPULAR
-
IN THE ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES OF HONG KONG. HOWEVER, SECONDARY
SCHOOL PUPILS HAVE AMPLE OPPORTUNITY TO BE TAUGHT IN THEIR OWN
LANGUAGE, IN ADDITION CHINESE IS NORMALLY USED FOR THE WIDE
RESTRICTED
/RANGE OF
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