Anti-national education class strike gets support of university authorities

Several universities have thrown

their support behind today's citywide class boycott - the first in 20 years - as the organisers warn of further strikes if Leung Chun-ying fails to scrap the national education curriculum.

The chief executive responded on Saturday to massive protests by giving schools discretion to choose whether or not to teach the subject.

But Johnson Yeung Ching-yin, president of Chinese University's student union, said as long as the national education teaching guideline still existed in the education bureau's framework, it might still be put into practice.

"We think that [Leung's move] is a fake withdrawal and fake concession … they are trying to divert anti-national education [sentiment] from the government to the schools," said Yeung.

The four-hour boycott starts at 2pm and a rally will be held at Chinese University's "Million Boulevard".

The Federation of Students expects a turnout of 1,000 participants, and says more and more student groups are signing up to join the boycott.

Sung Jao-yiu, president of Chinese University, said yesterday: "The university has always respected freedom of expression … we will provide the necessary help [to the federation]."