The proportion of flag-raising ceremonies in primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong reached a new high

Source: Global Times

[Yang Weimin, special correspondent of the Global Times in Hong Kong] After the "National Flag and National Emblem (Amendment) Ordinance" was officially gazetted and came into effect in Hong Kong, it undoubtedly played a role in promoting national security education in primary and secondary schools.

According to the Hong Kong Sing Tao Daily Network reported on the 26th, the Federation of Teachers sent a questionnaire to all schools in Hong Kong, and the results showed that all the schools surveyed this year held activities to celebrate the National Day. Nearly 85% of the teachers interviewed said that the school held a National Day flag-raising ceremony, which is a new high in recent years; among them, the proportion of national special activities held on National Day, morning/weekly national conditions activities, and exhibition board exhibitions increased by more than 10% respectively over last year. However, more than 55% of schools said that they lacked national security education resources, nearly half of schools reported that teachers did not have relevant knowledge, and about 65% of teachers expressed general confidence in teaching national security-related topics. The Federation hopes that the Hong Kong Education Bureau will introduce more concrete measures to support the industry in doing a good job in national security education, including the establishment of a patriotic education support center, the regular holding of national security education training seminars, the provision of relevant appropriate teaching materials for students, and the establishment of an inter-professional team to support national security education.

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The issue of education is considered to be a major reason for the outbreak of illegal "Occupy Central" and "amendment storm" in Hong Kong. After the passage of the Hong Kong National Security Law, the SAR government introduced a series of patriotic education measures related to national security. In February this year, the Hong Kong Education Bureau issued a circular to all schools in Hong Kong to promote national security education in primary and secondary schools, and newly compiled the "Framework for the Curriculum of National Security Education in Hong Kong". Schools may carry out national security education in different stages of learning, such as primary, junior high, and high schools, in accordance with students' cognitive abilities, in a step-by-step and multi-form manner. Among them, in order to help young students learn, storybooks, animations, movies, games, analogies, and examples of daily life can be used. In March and April, the Hong Kong Education Bureau distributed the National Situation Reader "My Home in China" to all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, which introduced the mountains, rivers, lakes and seas, festivals, ethnic groups, roads and cities of the motherland to the children as teaching aids, and guided them to establish a correct concept of the rule of law.

On 11 This month, the Hong Kong Education Bureau issued a circular to all primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in Hong Kong to provide the latest guidance on the incorporation of the national flag and national emblem into primary and secondary education and the hoisting of the national flag and district flag. From 1 January next year, primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong are required to raise the national flag on every school day, as well as on New Year's Day, the anniversary of the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and national day, and if there are enough flagpoles, the district flag should be raised at the same time. In addition, schools must hold a weekly flag-raising ceremony to sing the national anthem. The Bureau also strongly recommends that schools hold flag-raising ceremonies on important days and special occasions, such as graduation ceremonies or sports events.