CE 'open to dialogue'

September 07, 2012

Chief Executive CY Leung says he is willing to have open dialogue with opponents of national education, but the result of those discussions should not be "pre-determined".
 
Speaking to the media today, Mr Leung said the Government has made all channels open and he is prepared to talk.
 
But he warned, if the result of such talk is pre-determined to the extent of having to withdraw the subject, then it does not constitute "dialogue".
 
“Between withdrawing and going ahead with the subject, we now see many possibilities of handling the situation. For example, a couple of days ago, one educational body had proposed that we should have a cooling period for a year and discuss. That is something we can discuss,” he said.
 
Mr Leung reiterated the space between withdrawing and keeping the subject is wide and he is prepared to listen to all proposals, and the rationale behind them.
 
The Committee on the Implementation of Moral & National Education Chairman Anna Wu yesterday issued letters to representatives of the three major groups opposing the introduction of moral and national education in schools.
 
Mr Leung said the letter is not to ask them to join the committee but to invite them to open a dialogue with the committee, even though they have declined to join it.