People attend a flag raising ceremony at a middle school in Yuen Long of New Territories, Hong Kong, south China, Aug. 11, 2019. The Association of Hong Kong Flag-guards held a flag raising ceremony at a middle school on Sunday. (Photo: Xinhua)

 
More than 90 percent of schools surveyed in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region held Chinese National Day celebrations this year. Nearly 70 percent of the schools held a flag-raising ceremony and 62 percent proudly displayed the national flag, marking a 12 and 25 percentage points year-on-year increase, respectively, Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers (HKFEW) said on Thursday.

HKFEW sent out a questionnaire to all schools in Hong Kong earlier this month and received 234 valid responses, with 16 percent of respondents saying that National Day celebrations this year were more magnificent than the previous year, compared to the figure of 3 percent in 2019.  

Wong Kam-leung, chairman of the HKFEW, told media that the increases are related to the returning of peace and stability this year, as well as the legislation related to the National Anthem and National Flag.

The social unrest and violence in Hong Kong since June 2019 has been basically contained after the enactment of the national security law for HKSAR and other legislations this year.  

HKSAR passed the National Anthem legislation in June, and the HKSAR government said on October 17 that it will amend its National Flag and National Emblem Ordinance, media reported. 

Hong Kong's education authorities also gave instructions to schools to raise the national flag and sing the national anthem on important days, said Wong. 

About 70 percent of schools surveyed said they needed guidance from the Education Bureau to decide how to further conduct national security education. More than half of the schools surveyed wanted the authorities to hold training sessions.

Lawrence Tang Fei, a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and also vice chair of HKFEW, told media that some national security education involves the Basic Law and national security law for HKSAR, and some teachers may lack sufficient legal background knowledge.

Therefore, the HKFEW said they have urged the HKSAR government to strengthen its support to the education sector and to formulate as soon as possible relevant educational guidelines, including teaching content and arrangements, for schools and teachers to follow.

Global Times