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LCQ1: Schools handling political activities
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     Following is a question by the Hon Wong Yuk-man and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Education, Mr Kenneth Chen, in the Legislative Council today (July 7):

Question:

     It has been reported that recently several school authorities one after another coerced their students and teachers into joining the "For Universal Suffrage, Support Constitutional Reform" rally on June 19, 2010 in support of the Government's constitutional reform proposals.  Among them, the school authority of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers Wong Cho Bau Secondary School in Tung Chung coerced its teachers into participating in the activity using the reason of professional development and teachers not participating were required to explain to the school principal in person.  The MFBM Chan Lui Chung Tak Memorial College in Tin Shui Wai issued a circular to the parents of all its 200 Senior Secondary One students, stating that the time spent on the activity would be counted as hours required for Other Learning Experiences in the New Senior Secondary curriculum and, therefore, students' participation was mandatory.  In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(a) before the above incidents were reported by the press, whether the Secretary for Education knew that those schools mobilised their students and teachers to participate in the "For Universal Suffrage, Support Constitutional Reform" Rally, as well as the means of mobilisation adopted;

(b) of the Education Bureau's guidelines, measures and complaint mechanism in place to protect students and teachers from being pressurised to indicate their stance on political issues; and

(c) what sanctions the Education Bureau may impose in future on those school authorities which use the aforesaid means to request their students or teachers to indicate their stance on political issues?

Reply:

President,

     My reply to the above question is as follows:

(a) The Education Bureau (EDB) did not know about the incidents until it received enquiries and complaints from parents and members of the public.

(b) The EDB has issued guidelines to schools under different circumstances and according to the nature and requirements of student activities.  When a Legislative Council general election is held, we remind schools that participation by students in electioneering activities should be entirely voluntary; the consent of parents should be obtained beforehand; normal lessons should not be interrupted; and students should not be asked to take part in activities in areas where there may be possible danger.  In addition, the Senior Secondary Curriculum Guide prepared by the Curriculum Development Council has clearly set out school-based guiding principles for conducting Other Learning Experiences (OLE) programmes, as well as the aims and expected outcomes of the programmes.  On the basis of the guidelines, teachers should exercise their professional judgement in arranging different lessons and learning activities to provide students with quality learning experiences, having regard to the circumstances of their schools, the nature of the activities and the students' needs.  The EDB has also issued circular memoranda to inform schools about the implementation details of teachers' continuing professional development.  These circular memoranda state that schools have to make professional judgement on the basis of the direction of school-based development when assessing teachers' continuing professional development needs, and that teachers should be more engaged in the process.  The ultimate aim is to serve the educational interests of students.

     The EDB always encourages schools to maintain good communication with their stakeholders.  If the staff, parents or students disagree with any school policies, they may, in the first instance, put forward their views directly to the school so that it can address their concerns and take follow-up actions.  If they have reasonable grounds to believe that the school has mishandled the matter, they may complain to the EDB.  On receipt of a complaint, the staff of the EDB will investigate the case and take appropriate follow-up actions.

(c) Under section 98(2) of the Education Regulations, the Permanent Secretary may give directions in writing or other guidance to the management authority of any school as to the dissemination of information or expression of opinion of a political nature in that school, so as to ensure that the information or opinion is unbiased.  If the EDB finds that a school has deviated from the spirit of this regulation when handling political activities held in the school, it will give advice to the school and issue proper directions in writing, if necessary.

Ends/Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Issued at HKT 14:42

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