Teachers 'facing interference' to instil patriotism in Hong Kong pupils
Without giving names, a veteran educator says outsiders are meddling with school curricula
Secondary school teachers are facing interference and pressure to inculcate a sense of patriotism in their pupils after the student-led Occupy Central civil disobedience movement for democracy, a veteran head of school says.
More "industry outsiders" had tried to pressure the government to revise the curricula for subjects such as liberal studies, Chinese history and the Basic Law, Michael Wong Wai-yu, honorary executive secretary of the Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools, said without naming anyone.
The purpose was to make the young generation more patriotic and less critical of political controversies, he wrote in a letter read out on RTHK radio show Letter to Hong Kong yesterday.
"After Occupy Central, workers in the educational sector have faced more and more challenges, such as … overwhelming pressure on the curricula of secondary schools," Wong said.
Association chairwoman Lee Suet-ying agreed with Wong, but said she had yet to see substantial changes in education policy. "The critical moment has arrived and I think we need to speak out."
In his letter, Wong mentioned "someone" had suggested putting teaching recruits through training in national education. He said it showed a mistrust of teaching professionals.