A ship carrying the slogan of "celebrating the passage of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR)" sails at the Victoria Harbor in Hong Kong, south China, July 1, 2020. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)

Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam said on Saturday she has requested the secretary for education to draw up a plan for comprehensive education regarding the Constitution, the Basic Law, the National Anthem Ordinance and the national security law for Hong Kong. 

The problem regarding the younger generation in Hong Kong is not due to Hong Kong's education system, but a problem of education being politicized, Lam said, noting that from the  "anti-national education" political storm in 2012 to the illegal "Occupy Central" movement in 2014 and the anti-extradition bill turmoil last year, it should be evident that there are anti-central government forces that have penetrated campuses through different channels. 

Negative media coverage of the country, the mis-description of history, and the wanton discredit of the government and law enforcement agencies are all reflected in textbooks, classroom teaching, exam questions, and students' extracurricular activities.

Lam said that more than 3,000 students were arrested for committing violent acts in the anti-extradition bill protests, reflecting the "politicization" of education in Hong Kong. She hopes that the national security law could put education back on track. 

"What happened at Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) and Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) reflected that our university campuses seem to have turned into "hotbeds of violence." A large number of students in middle schools formed "human chains" in the protests and shouted slogans with implications of supporting "Hong Kong independence."  Thoughts about rejecting the country and opposing the government have been rooted in the hearts of some young people nowadays, which is extremely worrying. 

Lam said that if political problems cannot be solved, no matter how good the education measures are, no matter how many educational resources exist, it is difficult to reverse the situation. The political issues stemming from education are inseparable from the political problems of Hong Kong. 

Therefore, Lam said she has asked the Hong Kong Education Bureau to make plans to carry out all-round education on the Constitution, the Basic Law, the National Anthem Ordinance and the national security law for Hong Kong in schools. 

She believes that the promotion of these legal principles should also be organically combined with Chinese history and the education of Chinese national conditions, and implemented in a comprehensive, in-depth and interesting way to effectively enhance students' national awareness and interest in national development.

Lam said she hopes that after having a profound understanding of related issues, the education community can understand why the central government must maintain national security legislation for Hong Kong, and why there are two provisions directly related to schools in this national security law.

The national security law for Hong Kong is a turning point for Hong Kong to step out of the current predicament and transform from chaos to governance, but also a turning point for putting students back on the right track, she stressed.