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The following is issued on behalf of the Office of The Ombudsman:
The Ombudsman, Ms Connie Lau, today (October 27) invited the public to send in views and/or information on the problem of the Education Bureau (EDB)'s non-disclosure of the list of registered teachers (the List).
From a complaint lodged by a group of students' parents the Office of The Ombudsman has learnt that the EDB refuses requests by members of the public for the List on the grounds that it contains teachers' personal data. The Office has also noted recent media reports that other parents' groups and even teachers' associations advocate the EDB's disclosure of the List so that members of the public, when in doubt, can check whether certain teachers are indeed registered.
In light of the concern of those parents' groups and teachers' associations, The Ombudsman has initiated a direct investigation to assess whether there is room for improvement in respect of EDB's practice of not disclosing the List.
To assist the investigation, The Ombudsman now invites the public to send in relevant views and/or information to the Office of The Ombudsman by November 27.
Address: 30/F, China Merchants Tower, Shun Tak Centre
168-200 Connaught Road Central, Hong Kong
Fax: 2882 8149
Email: complaints@ombudsman.hk
Note: According to the Education Ordinance, teachers have to apply to the Permanent Secretary for Education for registration. EDB, therefore, keeps the List.
Ends/Monday, October 27, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:01
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