Time is ripe for reform, says head of principals' group
More than 5,000 teachers, students and parents from New Territories East staged a protest yesterday in the first of five demonstrations to demand smaller classes.
Donning stickers declaring 'I love small classes', protesters from more than 100 schools in Sha Tin, Tai Po and Northern District waved yellow ribbons and placards as they gathered at the Sha Tin Sports Ground.
Shin Kei-lit, president of the Sha Tin District Primary School Heads Association, said the planned gatherings were not aimed at provoking the government.
'We just want to let the Education and Manpower Bureau know that the majority of parents and students want small-class teaching,' he said.
Mr Shin said the coming school year would be a good opportunity to introduce smaller classes in the district as the number of Primary One classes was due to drop by 100.
Liu Lai-shan, a Primary Five pupil from a class of 40, said smaller classes would allow teachers to pay more attention to individual children.
