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Following is the transcript of remarks by the Secretary for Education, Mr Eddie Ng Hak-kim, at a media session after officiating at the opening session of the Third Forum for Presidents of Normal Universities in the Greater China Region today (October 9):
Reporter: How did the "Occupy Central" activities affect the students?
Secretary for Education: Maybe I will summarise a few points in English. In the last few days, you can see that in the Wan Chai as well as Central and Western districts, with about 150 schools altogether, about 60,000 students involved gradually resumed schooling and school activities. Indeed, it has been a tremendously difficult moment for all the students as well as their parents, teachers and principals because they are making a lot of efforts in arranging different types of transportation and different arrangements. I am so glad that at least all the students are very happy to see that they are able to resume school activities and to get together with classmates as well as teachers.
If you look at the whole "Occupy Central" activities, the major impact on traffic is tremendous. Actually, I would like to take this opportunity to give credit and my honest appreciation to the school principals and teachers. They are so focused on the welfare and safety of the students. There is a lot of extra work and stress on them, but they are able to keep their professional standing and professional position in making normal school activities run properly.
I really want to appeal to all who are still occupying major traffic routes. Please, please try to leave and release all the major barriers in order to help all the students and all the people in Hong Kong to resume a normal life. Please return the roads to the students.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Thursday, October 9, 2014
Issued at HKT 11:34
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