CONFIDENTIAL
- TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, AND THAT THE COMMISSION HAD TO RESPECT
THEIR WISH FOR CONFIDENTIALITY. NEVERTHELESS THE REVELATION OF THIS EARLIER COMPLAINT HAS UNDERSTANDABLY CAUSED CONFUSION AND TONE SOME DAMAGE TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND GOVERNMENT'S CREDIBILITY. SOME PEOPLE HAVE CLEARLY FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO BELIEVE THE TRUE SITUATION, IE THAT THE DEPARTMENT GENUINELY DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE TEACHERS' APPROACH TO THE ICAC.
4. MEANWHILE, SOME RADICAL POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS HAVE EXPLOITED
THE SITUATION BY ARRANGING TUTORIAL CLASSES" FOR PRECIOUS BLOOD PUPILS. THESE HAVE ATTRACTED ABOUT 322 PUPILS. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS NOT DIRECTLY CHALLENGED THIS ACTION, SINCE TO DO SO WOULD HAVE BROUGHT POST-SECONDARY STUDENTS DIRECTLY INTO THE ARENA, INSTEAD THE DEPARTMENT HAS OFFERED TO PLACE PRECIOUS BLOOD PUPILS IN OTHER SCHOOLS FOR THE REST OF THIS ACADEMIC YEAR. 231 FORMS 1 TO IV PUPILS HAVE ALREADY BEEN PLACED. THIS IS IN ADDITION TO 214 FORM I PUPILS, WHO HAVE NOT BEEN INVOLVED IN THE DEMONSTRATIONS AND WHO ARE CONTINUING CLASSES IN A GOVERNMENT
SCHOOL, AND 233 FORM V PUPILS WHO ARE CURRENTLY TAKING THE SCHOOL CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION IN THE NORMAL MANNER. THIS MEANS THAT OVER 2/3RDS OF THE SCHOOL'S PUPILS ARE CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATION UNDER GOVERNMENT AUSPICES. IN ADDITION, ABOUT 80 FORMS 1 TO IV PUPILS ARE BEING KEPT AT HOME BY THEIR PARENTS TO AVOID INVOLVEMENT
5. THE COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY (MY TUR) HAS ALREADY STARTED WORK. IT HAS ISSUED A PUBLIC INVITATION FOR THOSE INVOLVED IN, OR WITH VIEWS ON, THE PROBLEM TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. INTERVIEWS (WHICH WILL BE HELD IN CAMERA) HAVE ALREADY BEGUN.
6. THE DEMONSTRATIONS REFERRED TO ABOVE HAVE BEEN ORDERLY AND
FREE FROM INCIDENTS. THE SITUATION IS NOW BEGINNING TO QUIETEN DOWN AND PRESS COVERAGE IS GETTING LESS EXTENSIVE. WE ARE STRESSING THAT, WHATEVER THE DISSIDENT TEACHERS AND PUPILS MAY
THINK ABOUT THE RIGHTS AND WRONGS OF THE SITUATION, THEIR BEHAVIOUR HAS MADE CLOSURE OF THE SCHOOL A PRACTICAL NECESSITY, AND THAT ALL PARTIES CONCERNED SHOULD NOW CO-OPERATE WITH THE COMMITTEE OF
INQUIRY.
MACLEHOSE
FILES HK & GD NEWS D
MR.MURRAY
2
COPIES TO:
HONG KONG GOVT.OFFICE
RESTRICTED
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