HK schools have free choice on national education: HK Chief Executive

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HK schools have free choice on national education: HK Chief Executive

Source:Globaltimes.cn Published: 2012-9-9 15:15:00

Editor's Note

	Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying announced on September 8 that local schools would have right to decide when and how to launch moral and national education (MNE) course. It is reported that Hong Kong government originally required local schools to set MNE course before the 2015/16 school year, which caused controversy and protests in local society.

Relevant Reactions

Government reaction
	Q:Why does MNE have to be implemented as an independent subject? A:The MNE subject aims at developing students’ moral qualities, independent thinking skills and broadmindedness to equip them as members of their family, society, country and the world. Compared with the cross-curricular approach, implementing MNE as an independent subject would allow learning to become more systematic and progressive. Q: Is the government turning a blind eye to the plea by the ten thousand people who took to the streets and the protests in the hunger strikes? Has the government been respecting dissenting voices? A:The government duly respects views from different parties in the community, including the opposing views. In fact, Ms Anna Wu, the Chairperson of the “Committee on the Initiation of the Moral and National Education Subject”, has already accepted the opposing voices and promised to discuss the following issues: ●Not necessary for schools to implement the subject within three years or to regard the “three-year” period as a deadline ●Ways to refine the Curriculum Guide to provide schools with the greatest flexibility and autonomy ●Striving for more resources to allow different organisations and schools to develop teaching resources.

Government reaction

Q:Why does MNE have to be implemented as an independent subject?

A:The MNE subject aims at developing students’ moral qualities, independent thinking skills and broadmindedness to equip them as members of their family, society, country and the world. Compared with the cross-curricular approach, implementing MNE as an independent subject would allow learning to become more systematic and progressive.

Q: Is the government turning a blind eye to the plea by the ten thousand people who took to the streets and the protests in the hunger strikes? Has the government been respecting dissenting voices?

A:The government duly respects views from different parties in the community, including the opposing views. In fact, Ms Anna Wu, the Chairperson of the “Committee on the Initiation of the Moral and National Education Subject”, has already accepted the opposing voices and promised to discuss the following issues:

●Not necessary for schools to implement the subject within three years or to regard the “three-year” period as a deadline

●Ways to refine the Curriculum Guide to provide schools with the greatest flexibility and autonomy

●Striving for more resources to allow different organisations and schools to develop teaching resources.

Official voices
	Leung Chun-ying, chief executive of Hong Kong: ●Hong Kong is a part of the country and it is right for students to learn about the country. ●The national education is not intended to "brainwash" people and HK government is open for communication and negotiation.
	Eddie Ng Hak-kim, Secretary for Education of HKSAR: ●The course should be implemented. Government welcomes criticisms and advices.
	Ko Wing-man, Secretary for Food and Health of HKSAR: ●National education is needed for HK students. However, the teaching book has some problems.
	Yuan Guiren, Minister of Education: ●The teaching book can be different. However, national education is necessary in all the countries around the world.

Social responses
●HK Students: Some students also joined protests and launched a hunger strike to exert pressure on the government.
●HK Parents: Parents hope that government can conducts more consultation on MNE.
●The HK association of secondary school principals: The association opposes to set the national education as an independent subject.

View Points

Comments
	●HK national education controversy highly politicized It is a deeply rooted perception among some Hong Kong elites that the system of the special administrative region is superior, and increasing influence from the mainland will only destroy Hong Kong's uniqueness. These theories are frequently published by local media outlets, but this mentality harms Hong Kong's future.
●No reason for Hongkongers to fear national education course In fact, those who oppose to it are likely to be more "brainwashed" by the Western ideology, as Hong Kong used to be a British colony. That's why they were so vigilant against the course. They were seeing China from a Western perspective.

Celebrity opinions
Zhang Yiwu,professor of Chinese language at Peking University: It is necessary for Mainlanders to know more about Hong Kong and Hong Kongers to learn more about China’s conditions. Both Hong Kong and Mainland residents should learn how to get along with each other. Without mutual understanding, bias is inevitable. China’s rise and development are crucial to the world’s development, which we all need to be accustomed. All Chinese should understand more about China’s current development. Every country, including the West, has its own form of national education, because countries convey their ideas through the education system.
Chen Hong, CEO of Everbright Securities: To tell the truth, after reading the 181-page guide I think Hong Kong’s national education course is really good. The goals of the course are to develop students’ positive values and an individual’s place in the family, community, country and the world. I see content includes history, geography, moral and culture rather than ideology as rumors described on the Internet. The course emphasizes diversity, and encourages students to express their different views. I do not know how many protesters in front of the government building have ever seriously read any materials about the national education course.
Lüqiu Luwei, famous reporter of Phoenix TV: Hong Kongers should have a full understanding of China, or even the world. If Hong Kong makes its own national education course for the youth in use of its freedom of speech and information, education of today’s China will be more objective and resourceful. Moreover, It will be a good example for national education in Chinese mainland in the future.

Background

Timeline of the implementation of MNE in HK
2000 to now	HK government has discussed about the implementation of MNE for more than 10 years.
May, 2011	HK government announced an official plan that students in HK will be required to take the MNE course in 2012 September.
Feb, 2012	HK government published the Curriculum Guide of MNE course.
Apr, 2012	The HK Education Bureau announced that it would follow recommendations to delay the program until 2015 instead of this year.
July, 2012	HK goverment published the official teaching book of MNE, entitled "The China Model".
July 29, 2012	The Hong Kong Professional Teachers' Union confirmed that local residents took to the street to again demand authorities cancel the course before the new semester.
Aug 22, 2012	HK government established "Committee on the Initiation of the Moral and National Education Subject" to promote the implemention of the course.
Sept 3. 2012	Thousands of local residents took to the street to protest the course. Some students joined protests and launched a hunger strike to exert pressure on the government.
Sept 8, 2012	HK chief executive Leung Chun-ying said that HK schools have the final say on MNE. Three years will not be the dead line.

Related reports:
●Program not brainwashing: Leung
●HK patriotic classes still on
●HK patriotic education causes controversy

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