TNAG-0328-FCO40-364-Activities-of-New-Left-groups-amongst-students-and-youth-of--1973 — Page 64

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Chinese Communist propaganda. Coupled with this is a general feeling that Hong Kong's society is immoral and that stronger action should be taken against drugs, gambling, pornography and corruption.

18.

These general criticisms have been

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accompanied by particular complaints about the education system. Marked advances have not prevented such complaints not surprisingly, a similar complaints have been a feature of student unrest, even in countries where far more fully developed mass education facilities exist. In Hong Kong the complaints are concentrated on the following points :

(i)

(ii)

(iii)

(iv)

the system is so pyramidal that it is responsible for large numbers failing to obtain the level of education to which they feel they are entitled and producing young people who feel deprived of rewarding and meaningful positions in society;

it is too elitist especially at the secondary level and is not suited to the needs of the majority;

in schools democratic ideas are put forward as ideals but no explanation is given why they are inapplicable to Hong Kong and teachers do their best to avoid any form of political discussion;

the teaching and emphasis on examinations stifle students' initiative, dampen their critical faculties and thus result in a failure to produce responsible citizens;

(v)

the dual system of English and Chinese secondary schools is unsatisfactory;

(vi)

in the private profit-making sector of education high fees are charged for an inferior education;

(vii)

the education in Chinese Middle Schools, and in particular in the pseudo-post-secondary colleges, does not produce parity of esteem when it comes to obtaining employment.

/19.

CONFIDENTIAL