TNAG-0346-FCO40-382-Communist-threat-to-education-in-Hong-Kong-communist-schools-1972 — Page 15

and inevitably doomed to failure. The product is often a closed mind, completely

blind to facts, impervious to reasor and beyond the reach of any moderating

influence.

38.

The task of the communist educators in Hong Kong is made more difficult.

in one way by having to produce their young communists amid the distractions of a

free society whose values are materialistic and where the rewards of individual

success are immediately realisable. However, the very materialism of Hong Kong

society, where there is cuch a vast disparity in ownership of wealth, assists the

communists in some ways, in that youth is invariably idealistic and wants to set

the world to rights.

39.

The main indoctrination themes in local communist schools are patriotism

for China, acceptance of the MACist doctrines and rejection of British authority

in the Colony. Patriotism in the communist sense means simply an acceptance of

the dictates of the C.P.G., its supporters being patriots and its critics traitors.

Chinese understandably hold their national heritage in high esteem, however, SC

the communists try to use this factor to their advantage and emphasise the "Chinese"

aspect of their appeal; persons of Chinese race must be prevailed un to serve China

hence also the C.C.P. The cultivation of MAU Thought is integral to all communist

educational endeavour and it follows that British authority in Hong Kong must be

rejected so far as it is possible to do so without openly breaking the law. In

particular, "capitalistic" education must be denounced, hence the continuing

campaign in communist circles against what they call the Hong Kong Government's

"slavish education system".

40.

The type of indoctrination to which students are subjected is similar in

all schools but not surprisingly is most intense in middle schools. At least 50%

of total class time in these institutes is devoted to lessons which have a

Vi

political bias. For example, the day opens with study of the morning's communist

press this is usually referred to as "current affairs" in the timetable when

the current line on local and international affairs is desseminated.

time is reserved for the singing of revolutionary songs and analysing the

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