Leung to give 'cautious consideration' to scrapping national education
He also suggests cool-off period, but protesters dismiss offers as tactics and vow to fight on
Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying said yesterday "cautious consideration" would be given to suggestions national education should be scrapped.
But his remarks were dismissed by the protesters who have rallied outside the government's headquarters in Admiralty since last Thursday. They said it was a tactic to appease the public ahead of the Legislative Council election on Sunday.
Beijing also weighed into the debate yesterday, with Education Minister Yuan Guiren saying all nationals should receive national education.
Echoing the words of other officials in the past few days, Leung said any topic could be discussed by the advisory body set up after protests against the policy.
"Any topic can be discussed ... withdrawal can also be suggested, or cancelling the three-year initiation period, the so called deadline [for schools to implement the subject]," he said.
He also suggested to protest leaders a "one year cooling-off period", saying this would allow for more discussions by the committee headed by executive councillor Anna Wu Hung-yuk. Wu also backed open talks.