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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Carrie Lam, at a media session at the lobby of West Wing, Central Government Offices, Tamar, tonight (September 3):
Reporter: The protesters have pledged to carry on the struggle outside the building ... Is the Government prepared to shelve the plan that a lot of people are expected to ...?
Chief Secretary for Administration: Well, I have explained at some length that at this juncture the question cannot be simplified to one, whether Government is prepared to withdraw this particular subject. I think the focus of all of us should be to ensure that the teaching of this subject at schools will achieve its desired objective, and its desired objective is very commendable because it basically is to nurture our younger generation to have the right attitude in life – to have the right attitude towards their family, society, and know about the country and also be a responsible global citizen. So, since there is nothing wrong with these objectives, the important thing is to ensure that the public concern or the parents' and the students' worry about the so-called brainwashing will not happen. But that will only be achievable by more communication between the various stakeholders and by putting the trust in the school sponsoring authorities and the individual schools that in devising their own teaching materials, engaging the teachers and also talking to the parents about how this subject is to be taught, that that phenomenon, which has been the worry of all the people out there, will not happen.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Monday, September 3, 2012
Issued at HKT 22:16
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