During the consultation on moral and national education last year, a document on the new curriculum quoted ancient Chinese writer Mengzi, or Mencius: 'The empire has its basis in the state, the state in the family, and the family in one's own self.' I think we all agree that children should learn about their roles as family members and citizens, and how society organises itself.
The last government planned moral and national education as an extension of the existing moral and civic education and promised that schools would be free to choose the teaching materials they use. Even so, it has become Hong Kong's latest controversy, with some parents and students accusing the government of wanting to brainwash children.
Much of the blame lies with one booklet - not intended as a textbook - produced by the National Education Services Centre. While ignoring China's very real problems, it praised the country's one-party system and criticised America's multiparty structure. This clear bias set off alarm bells among many people. (In fairness, the centre published a guide to the structure of China's government which has been very valuable to me as a delegate to the National People's Congress.)
Some people want moral and national education to be postponed. Yet parents and schools are already free to delay it if they wish. They have three years in which to consider materials, teaching methods and the findings of the government's committee on the new curriculum.
Why not just scrap it? It must be tempting, especially with the Legislative Council election coming. But this assumes that our children do not need to learn about China. As a parent who helps to run a school, I strongly believe they do.
Many Hong Kong people - including me - received little or no education about the country we live in. If you think about it, it is shocking that many of us can name and describe California, Texas, British Columbia and Ontario, but are not able to tell Hebei from Hubei .