📡Guardians of Hong Kong aka BeWater HK
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We provide translation of news in English from local media and other sources, for academic use.
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Hong Kong's “National Education Calendar” suggests discussing #ChineseCommunistParty development and watching three "patriotic anti-Japanese" films a year

In a letter to all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, the Education Bureau (#EDB) "strongly recommended" schools to "fully and systematically" implement learning activities for #NationalSecurityEducation.

The bureau attached a calendar of "important dates" on the national education curriculum, as well as suggested learning activities for each. These recommendations include watching patriotic or anti-Japanese war movies on three memorial dates related to the anti-Japanese war; holding memorial ceremonies on "mourning day for Nanjing Massacre Victims"; celebrating the "102nd Anniversary of the founding of the #CCP" with discussions on the Party's development, etc.

The EDB had also made it mandatory for all primary and secondary schools to fly the Chinese flag on all school days, as well as to hold a weekly flag-raising ceremony, complete with singing the Chinese national anthem. Secretary of Education Christine Choi says that, as the youth is the future pillars of society, schools must instill in students the concept of the nation, as well as national identity and pride, in order to develop them into a new generation of "knowledgeable, responsible youths who love the country and love Hong Kong".

[Editor's notes: Many China-produced television dramas and films about fighting the Japanese during World War 2 are characterized by their nationalistic nature. They are also known for "over-the-top violence and implausible plot events." For more information, check out this report by Hong Kong Free Press:

Patriotic comedies? Japanese author compiles an encyclopaedia of Chinese anti-Japan dramas
https://hongkongfp.com/2018/05/06/patriotic-comedies-japanese-author-compiles-encyclopaedia-chinese-anti-japan-dramas/ ]

Source: In-Media HK #Aug02
https://bit.ly/3zSgzGw

#Education #EducationBureau #NationalSecurityLaw #AntiJapan #Brainwashing #Nationalism
#HongKong Government publishes "correct" view of Hong Kong #History, claims 1997 was not a "#handover"

In the name of reforming the secondary school curriculum, the Hong Kong government had replaced Liberal Studies with “Civic and Social Development”. The textbook content has also been changed to explicitly state that Hong Kong was never a British colony.

In an article uploaded to its website on August 2, 2022, the Education Bureau (#EDB) explained the government's official version of history, saying that the ceremony on 1st July 1997 was not a “handover of Hong Kong” but a “transfer of sovereignty”. The education bureau argues that denying Hong Kong being a former British colony doesn’t mean it rejects Hong Kong’s history of being occupied by Britain, but stresses that the word “colony” was inappropriate.

The 1,500-word article is available in Chinese only.

Source: In-Media #Aug02
https://bit.ly/3OMSxRr

#Education #CCP #EducationBureau #BritishColony #NationalSecurityEducation #RewritingHistory
"Politically corrected" textbooks in the New Hong Kong Era

6 publishing companies amended their #LiberalStudies textbooks after "inquiring" the #EducationBureau for comments in August 2020. Journalists discovered that some contents are removed, including #June4th, #CulturalRevolution, #MongKokCivilUnrest, #LocalConsciousness and #HongKongIndependenceClaims.

In November 2020, then-Secretary of Education, Kevin Yeung, announced to reform the Senior Secondary Liberal Studies (LS) syllabus. Course content was re-organised, and some were removed in order to grow students’ national identity with a mainland visit opportunity.

Less than a year later, the new subject “Citizenship and Social Development” replaced LS in school curricula. However, its textbooks were only approved in June 2022. Journalists discovered that the new books did not only modify a few photos or comics, but completely overthrew statements made in past textbooks. Notable changes include stating that Hong Kong was “not a #colony”, and the #AntiELAB movement was “an illegal incident that is violent and endangers national security”.

In the new era of Hong Kong, are the textbooks becoming "politically correct"? InMedia found #LiberalStudies textbooks published between 2014 and 2020, and compared them to the new #CitizenshipandSocialDevelopment textbooks.

Under the new syllabus, concepts including "#CivilDisobedience", "Separation of Powers", "4 levels of the Rule of Law" and "Multiple identities" are removed. Topics that took their place are #NationalSecurity, #NationalIdentity, and #NationalAchievement. The topic of Rule of Law no longer covered #RestrictionofLaw, #HumanRightProtection without affecting others’ rights, social order and national security.

Additional materials are taken mainly from official government sources, such as Information Service Department and blogs of government officials. Students are no longer required to discuss topics with controversial views. They only need to answer questions such as “Why does the National People's Congress interpreting the law not affect judiciary independence?”

Source: InMedia #Sep04

https://bit.ly/3wUtMww

See also:
Hong Kong Schools Schedule National Security Education Activities, Mainland Exchange Tours
https://publielectoral.lat/BeWaterHK/1006

#NationalSecurityLaw #NationalEducation #RewritingHistory