TNAG-0798-FCO40-1002-Dispute-over-closure-of-Precious-Blood-Golden-Jubilee-Second-1978 — Page 147

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HONG KONG: MP's LETTER: MISS JANET FOOKES MP

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1. Miss Fookes (Conservative Plymouth Drake) has written to the

Secretary of State enclosing a letter from the Education Action Group of Hong Kong. The Group, which regularly acts as a pressure group on education matters, is protesting at the closure of the Precious Blood Golden Jubilee Secondary School. This was a

Government-aided school, run by an order of Catholic Sisters, in

Homantin, Kowloon.

2.

The Hong Kong Government have provided a very full account of the background to the closure and of subsequent developments (in Hong Kong telegram nos. 610 of 12 May and 672 of 31 May). The story is complicated and unhappy. Briefly, trouble arose in the summer of 1977 after the resignation of the then Principal who had exerted little control over the running of the school and had also misappropriated school funds (for which she was subsequently given a six months' suspended gaol sentence). The attempt of the school authorities, under a new Principal, to reimpose discipline led to protests and demonstrations by pupils and some militant left-wing teachers. The teachers involved were warned by the Director of Education that any repetition of their action might result in the <cancellation of their registration as teachers but this warning only

resulted in renewed agitation, involving demonstrations, sit-ins and physical intimidation of the Principal and other staff.

3. On 14 May the Director of Education ordered the closure of the school to enable it to be reorganized and to allow tempers to cool. This decision was subsequently endorsed by the Executive Council. On the advice of ExCo, the Governor has set up a Committee of Enquiry under the Chairmanship of Dr Rayson Huang, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong. The Committee will no doubt consider the claims of some of the teachers involved that they have been victimized. There seems little justification for this complaint.

4. Public opinion in Hong Kong has been divided over the closure. There has been support for the Government's action but also

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