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Saturday, January 04, 2020, 09:06
Education Bureau handles complaints without bias
By Joy Dong
Saturday, January 04, 2020, 09:06 By Joy Dong

The Hong Kong Education Bureau on Friday emphasized its unbiased approach to handling complaints against teachers charged with offenses relating to protracted social unrest in the city. 

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung told reporters that the bureau would handle each complaint by examining the facts and strictly adhering to the pertinent regulations, without any political bias.

The bureau would handle each complaint by examining the facts and strictly adhering to the pertinent regulations, without any political bias

Yeung Yun-hung

Secretary for Education Kevin 

The education authority has been accused of pressuring secondary school principals into disciplining teaching staff after it said principals could also be held accountable for any misconduct by teachers.

Refuting such accusations by the Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union, the education chief said the bureau only required principals to cooperate with police during investigations. But they do not have to follow any particular political stance, he added.

Yeung also rebuked the union for disregarding the facts and confusing teachers. There would be no less than two occasions when teachers could respond to each of the complaints before a decision is reached, he added.

In a statement issued on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Education Bureau criticized the teachers’ union for unprofessionalism. It said the union was protecting teachers who broke the law and failed to meet the moral standards required of them. 

About 80 teachers have been arrested for alleged criminal acts during violent protests since the social unrest began in Hong Kong in mid-June. 

The Education Bureau has received no less than 123 complaints about misconduct by teachers, the majority of which were about disseminating hate speech and acts of provocation. There have also been complaints about using inappropriate teaching materials.

Yeung said the bureau and schools have a responsibility to follow up complaints about misconduct by teachers. “We made the case known to the public because it is of public concern,” he said.

The same day, the Panel on Education of the Legislative Council formed a subcommittee to review textbooks for kindergartens, elementary schools and middle schools. The review will focus on the contents and editing processes of all textbooks used in Hong Kong schools. It will also examine the influence they may have on young students.

qiuyidong@chinadailyhk.com


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