Majority Of Teachers Oppose Law Changes: Union

The biggest teachers’ union in Hong Kong has called on educators to join the mass rally planned on Sunday to protest against fugitive law amendments, after finding 4 in 5 teachers they surveyed oppose the government's move.

The Professional Teachers' Union, whose members account for over 85 percent of the sector, said it had surveyed 368 of its members last month.

President of the Union Fung Wai-wah said over 80 percent teachers they talked to worry that the law will restrict personal and academic freedom in Hong Kong.

Before people only ran the risk of coming under the mainland's jurisdiction if they travelled across the border, but that firewall will be gone when they can be extradited from Hong Kong, Fung said.

The freedom of speech and academic freedom Hong Kong offers to teachers may be affected and this is key to encourage critical thinking among students, he said.

"With the amendment of the law, in future they will think that this freedom is going to be limited. Or even threatened," the union chief told RTHK's Phoebe Ng.