TNAG-0346-FCO40-382-Communist-threat-to-education-in-Hong-Kong-communist-schools-1972 — Page 14

FCO40 Hong Kong Department Records 聯邦事務部香港部檔案 All

34.

Although there is no evidence of direct co-ercion to force children from

families in groups (a)-(e) to attend communist schools, there can be no doubt that

Not all think

many do not wish to offend the ultimate source of their livelihood.

that way however, and some of the more senior employees of communist organisations

send their children to neutral schools, or even abroad. The communists have

rationalised this situation by agreeing that a non-communist education can be

useful for those eventually to be employed in United Front work.

35.

Certain schools cater for particular categorics. Thus members of

communist unions have first call on places in the W.C.E.P.A. schools, while the

PUI KIU Middle School is clearly the prestige school, attended by children from

wealthier families, some of whom arrive in chauffeur-driven cars. Still others,

such as the Fukien Middle School have geographical associations.

Teaching in Communist Schools

36.

According to the Headmaster of the Yu Hwa Middle School, speaking in

1969, patriotic schools were expected to be "t:ses for the propagation of Mao

Thought, to train the young to be the vanguards of the revolution and to preṛare

them to be the successors of the proletarian revolution".

37.

To achieve this object the schools subject their students to a system-

atic programme of indoctrination which begins the day the child enters the school

and continues through to and after his graduation.

It is inserted at every

possible opportunity into academic studies and is the predominant theme of all

extra curricular activities. An extract from the "Work Plan" for the Fukien

Middle School can be scon at Annex 'E'. This is part of an instruction booklet

issued to teachers at this school to guide them along the "correct" lines in their

teaching, and to ensure that they "put politics to the fore". Discussion by

students is encouraged, but only for the purpose of amplification of the party

line; freedom of thought is discouraged and any tendency towards independence

provokes immediate corrective measures. The children are continually subjected

to the line that communism (HAQism) is right, and everything it opposes is wrong

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