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oon Tin-chi, one of the active
leaders of the now-disbanded
PHong Kong Professional Teach-
ers’ Union (PTU) since its establish-
ment in 1973, says that it never sup-
ported Hong Kong independence,
citing that it supported Hong Kong’s
return to China during the negotia-
tions between China and the United
Kingdom during the 1980s as evi-
dence.
“Our founding chairman Szeto
Wah was also a member of the Hong
Kong Basic Law Drafting Committee.
This shows that he is a true patriot,”
he adds.

The Disbandment of PTU
The PTU came under fire on July Poon Tin-chi in the PTU office.
30 when Chinese state-run newspaper pressure from the recent develop- social justice,” he says.
People’s Daily criticised the union for ments” as the reason. The union fa- “We organise peaceful activities if
engaging in anti-China activities and cilitated disbandment by amending the movement was related to social
called the PTU an “ulcer” that needs its constitution at a special assembly. justice. We only mobilise our mem-
to be removed. The decision was formalised on Sep- bers to participate and never incited
The next day, on July 31, the Hong tember 11. students,” he stresses.
Kong government announced that it Poon, who has been the chairman Poon was also the union’s first sec-
would cease all working relations with of the PTU senate since 2010, says retary general from 1974 to 1990 and
the PTU, stating that it would no long- that the PTU participated in social the vice-chairman from 1992 to 2006.
er consult the union on education-re- movements because upholding social He says that the PTU has influ-
lated issues and would stop recognis- justice is one of its core values. enced the government’s education
ing teacher training courses organised “The PTU has three main goals: to policies throughout its existence.
by the PTU. fight for teachers’ rights, to voice out “For example, when the number of
The PTU announced its decision on education policies and to defend students started to decrease in the late
to disband on August 10, citing “huge 1970s, we advocated to implement
small class teaching to enhance the
quality of education. The government
eventually accepted our suggestion,”
he explains.

Memories with PTU
Poon finds the PTU’s friendly at-
mosphere to be most memorable.
“I remember when we helped our
members to order gifts during Lu-
nar New Year, our volunteers worked
together happily, even though they
were exhausted after moving the gifts
around,” Poon says.
“And when our members received
presents, they stayed around and
Notice posted by the PTU announcing its disbandment.