TNAG-0798-FCO40-1002-Dispute-over-closure-of-Precious-Blood-Golden-Jubilee-Second-1978 — Page 177

909 725

FLORITY

·PHER CAT

CONFIDENTIAL

- HONG KONG 1210352

NFIDENTIAL

so

$5

TO PRIORITY F.C.O TELNO610 OF 12 MAY 78,

INFO PRIORITY HONG KONG GOVT OFFICE LONDON.

PRECIOUS BLOOD SECONDARY SCHOOL.

0

HKK 280/6

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY MO. 51 1 5 MAY 1973

DESK O

INDEX

Mo

FA

1. ON 14 MAY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION WILL ISSUE AN ORDER

CLOSING THE PRECIOUS BLOOD GOLDEN JUBILEE SECONDARY SCHOOL,

A GOVERNMENT-AIDED SCHOOL RUN BY CATHOLIC SISTERS. YOU MAY

FIND IT USEFUL TO HAVE THE FOLLOWING BACKGROUND,

*

*

2. TROUBLE HAS BEEN BREWING IN THE SCHOOL FOR MANY MONTHS.

THE PREVIOUS PRINCIPAL, SISTER LEUNG, RECRUITED A NUMBER OF TEACHERS WITH TROTSKYITE VIEWS AND VIRTUALLY LEFT THE RUNNING

OF THE SCHOOL TO ONE OF THEM. SHE HERSELF WAS ENGAGED IN

FIDDLING THE BOOKS (FOR WHICH SHE WAS LATER TRIED AND CONVICTED

IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR)} IN THE SPRING OF 1977 THE LEADING

TROTSKYITE TEACHER APPEARS TO HAVE TRIED TO BLACKMAIL SISTER

LEUNG INTO LETTING HIM AND HIS COLLEAGUES HAVE EFFECTIVE CONTROL

OF THE SCHOOL SHE REFUSED AND THEN RESIGNED, TELLING THE

MANAGEMENT ABOUT HER OWN FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES. THE EDUCATION

DEPARTMENT THEN SENT AN AUDIT TEAM TO INSPECT THE SCHOOL ACCOUNTS.

AT THE SAME TIME THE NEW LEADERSHIP OF THE SCHOOL TIGHTENED

UP ON GENERAL ADMINISTRATION AND DISCIPLINE. THESE MOVES LED TO MASS DEMONSTRATIONS AND SIT-INS IN JUNE 1977 INVOLVING

PUPILS AND TEACHERS. THIS IN TURN CAUSED THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION

TO SEND WARNING LETTERS TO THIRTY FIVE TEACHERS FOR BEING

INVOLVED WITH THE PUPILS DEMONSTRATIONS IN DEFIANCE OF THE

SCHOOL AUTHORITY.

3. WHEN SISTER LEUNG WAS CONVICTED, SIXTEEN OF THE TEACHERS ASKED

THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO WITHDRAW THE WARNING LETTERS SENT TO

THEM IN JUNE 1977. THEY CLAIMED THAT THEY HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE FOR

REVEALING THE FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT OF THE SCHOOL AND WERE BEING

VICTIMISED FOR IT. (IN FACT THEY FIRST BROUGHT THESE ACTIVITIES.TO

THE ATTENTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ON 22 APRIL, THREE DAYS AFTER THE AUDIT TEAM HAD GONE TO WORK AND TEN DAYS AFTER THE

SCHOOL'S MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE HAD ITSELF TOLD THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION ABOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT). THE

LETTERS HAVE NOT BEEN WITHDRAWN.

CO