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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, at a media session before attending a meeting of the LegCo Panel on Education today (December 12):
Reporter: But after the memo (on anti-drilling measures), the schools now are saying that they are very angry because they said the bureau has not been tackling the root of the problem, but instead has been placing the blame on them. So are you worried that the relationship between the schools and the bureau now is ......?
Secretary for Education: It is a bit unfortunate the memorandum we have issued to the schools has been interpreted somehow one way, that version. There is no whatsoever motive behind any of this at all. I would like to re-emphasise it - the whole thing is to address together with the schools and other professionals and parents, try to minimise or eliminate the problem of over-drilling as well as the extra classes during the school or public holidays. These are the two major targets to tackle, not so much as to what schools (are) doing, are they doing a good job or not. There is no whatsoever motive at all in undermining at all. Indeed our schools are doing very well. If you notice some of the press releases I have issued so far, I have been emphasising most of the school principals and teachers are very professional, and when there are such cases happening, we need to deal with them together. Our objective is the same.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, December 14, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:13
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