Academic will be sorely missed in Hong Kong
I was saddened by the news that Professor Paul Morris will not be allowed to continue to teach at the Hong Kong Institute of Education ('Paul Morris is shown the door at HKIEd,' June 26).
Despite the recent verdict that obviously favours professors Morris and Luk Hung-kay, in the HKIEd inquiry, the institute's ruling council decided by a majority that Professor Morris could not stay at the HKIEd when his contract expires.
This reminds me of the closure of the Precious Blood Golden Jubilee School in 1978.
As a young teacher then, I was one of many supporters of the school's whistle-blowers, the teachers and their students, who had alleged mismanagement at the school. We were disappointed when after a series of sit-ins and protests, the education department decided to close the school. It is rather unfortunate to find in 2007 that a spectre of authoritarianism still haunts the education community in Hong Kong and appears to threaten outspoken teachers.
I feel that the actions against Professor Morris, a long-time educationalist in Hong Kong, are not in keeping with the increasingly democratic atmosphere, transparency and accountability in the Hong Kong SAR.
In 1997 Professor Morris talked of a gap between the intended and implemented curriculum. He said the latter reflected social and community expectations, while the former reflected the 'state's desire to be seen to be promoting worthwhile visions of schooling for all'. I think this explains some failures with education reforms in the first 10 years of the Special Administrative Region.