TNAG-0799-FCO40-1003-Dispute-over-closure-of-Precious-Blood-Golden-Jubilee-Second-1978 — Page 174

IN CONFIDENCE

4. Following Sister Leung's resignation, a temporary Principal was appointed who decided to tighten up on discipline and administration at the school. New contracts

were drawn up for the teachers, which they interpreted as greatly reducing their say in the way the school should be

run. The contracts also seemed to threaten them with instant dismissal if they refused to submit to school authority.

5. News of these new contracts reached the pupils, who organised a two-day sit-in to demonstrate against the new terms being imposed on their teachers. The pupils subsequently claimed that the sit-in was entirely their own idea and had nothing to do with the teachers. The Department of Education

took a different view and the Director sent letters to all the

teachers at the school warning them that any further demon- strations could lead to their being struck off the Register of Teachers under a seldom-used provision of the Education Ordinance. These letters subsequently became a major bone of contention with certain of the teachers who claimed that they

were unwarranted and amounted to victimisation of them for

having first drawn attention to the financial maladministration

at the school.

6. In September 1977 the school began a new academic year with a new Principal, Miss Hilda Kwan, and some 20 new teachers. A number of the original staff remained, including 16 who were to become increasingly involved in confrontation with the new Principal. Miss Kwan appears to have held rather less progressive educational views than her predecessor. This brought her into conflict not only with the old staff but also with a substantial proportion of the students. Matters came to a head in the first two weeks of May when there were sit-ins and other demonstrations involving the 16 radical teachers, 440 students and a number of parents. The Education Department carried out an investigation and concluded that there was little chance of a return to normality. As a result, the Acting Director of Education announced on 14 May that the

school was to be closed.

2

IN CONFIDENCE

17.