TNAG-0803-FCO40-1007-Immigration-from-China-to-Hong-Kong-1979 — Page 6

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EDUCATION.

7. TWO COMMUNIST SCHCCLS HAVE APPLIED TO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT FOR PERMISSION (WHICH WILL BE GRANTED) TO REPLACE THEIR PRIMARY EXTENSION CLASSES (SECONDARY CLASSES NOT DESIGNED FOR THE HONG KONG CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION COURSES) WITH STANDARD SECONDARY CLASSES. IN RESPONSE TO AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR, FOUR LOCAL COMMUNIST SCHOOLS HAVE APPLIED TO JOIN THE SECONDARY SCHOOL

THIS GIVES THEIR PRIMARY SCHOOL STUDENTS PLACES ALLOCATION SYSTEM.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE INTO NON-COMMUNIST SECONDARY SCHOOLS (BUT NOT VICE VERSA, SINCE THESE SCHOOLS HAVE NOT JOINED THE ''BOUGHT PLACE' SCHEME).

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SOCIAL PRESSURE GROUPS.

THE 8. ''THE PEOPLES' COUNCIL OF PUBLIC HOUSING POLICY'', SUCCESSOR TO THE 'RENTAL ACTION GROUP, HAS BEEN PRESSING, BUT

WITH LITTLE SUCCESS, A POLICY OF OPPOSING THE RENT INCREASES IN PRE-1973 HOUSING ESTATES (WHICH CAME INTO EFFECT ON 1 DECEMBER). THERE ARE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE RENTS WILL NOT BE PAID.

THE

9. A CAMPAIGN CALLING ITSELF THE ''SECOND CHINESE LANGUAGE MOVEMENT CAME INTO BEING AFTER THE PUBLICATION BY THE HONG KONG- EXAMINATION AUTHORITY OF A DECISION MAKING A PASS AT HIGHER LEVEL IN ENGLISH, BUT NOT IN CHINESE, A PREREQUISITE FOR ENTRANCE TO

OPPOSITION TO THIS DECISION THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG.

CAME FROM STUDENTS, EDUCATIONALISTS AND OTHER SOCIAL GROUPS. EXAMINATION AUTHORITY SUBSEQUENTLY AGREED THAT A PASS IN CHINESE LANGUAGE SHOULD ALSO BE REQUIRED. THIS DECISION WAS REGARDED AS

WE EXPECT A MAJOR VICTORY BY THE ORGANISERS OF THE CAMPAIGN. IMPROVEMENT IN THE STATUS OF THE CHINESE LANGUAGE TO REMAIN AN ATTRACTIVE ISSUE FOR SOCIAL PRESSURE GROUPS SINCE IT CAN BE PURSUED WITHOUT INVOLVING POLITICAL ALLEGIANCES.

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/IMMIGRATION.