Education boss open to forms of college integration, says lawyer

Secretary for Education and Manpower Arthur Li Kwok-cheung is open to various forms of integration for the Hong Kong Institute of Education and does not only support a full merger with Chinese University, his lawyer says.

Johnny Mok Shu-luen SC, counsel for the Education and Manpower Bureau, told the inquiry investigating alleged government interference at the HKIEd that Professor Li had said it was up to the institute to pursue different forms of integration. Institute president Paul Morris has alleged Professor Li told him the HKIEd would be made unviable unless it agreed to a merger with Chinese University.

But yesterday Mr Mok put it to Professor Morris that Professor Li said he was open to different forms of integration at a meeting in February 2004.

Mr Mok referred to details provided in the witness statement of the institute's council chairman Thomas Leung Kwok-fai, who also attended the meeting. He is yet to give evidence.

'Dr Leung summarised the meeting, saying the message from the SEM [secretary for education and manpower] was that it would be up to the institute to pursue matters on its initiative,' Mr Mok said.

Professor Morris disagreed. He later said: 'If [Professor Li] was open to all forms of models and types of integration, Mr Mok, why then hasn't the deep collaboration with Chinese U satisfied him?'

On his fourth day of cross-examination, Professor Morris said Professor Li had often mentioned that a merger could be based on what he called the 'Chung Chi model'.