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Schools are encouraged to fly the flag

Jimmy Cheung

All schools in Hong Kong have been given government notices encouraging them to fly the national flag on July 1 and other important days.

Announcing a new website to promote the flag-raising rituals, officials said such activities could enhance students' awareness of their national identity.

Cheung Wing-hung, chief curriculum development officer of the Education and Manpower Bureau, said all schools had been given a circular to encourage them to fly the national and regional flags on important days 'for educational purposes'.

These include New Year's Day, national day on October 1, the first day of the school year, schools' open days and graduation days, as well as annual sport events.

Mr Cheung said students could also join the flag-raising ceremony at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, saying such activities would enable students to realise the meaning of flying the national flag and the underlying values.

The website is the first to help promote a flag-raising culture and national education in schools.

It has been a common practice for left-wing schools to hoist the national flag every day. But the government has not made such a ritual compulsory because many schools have complained that they cannot spare money to erect flag poles.

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