Arguments over liberal studies refuse to die down as educators call for controversial Hong Kong school subject to be made elective

Educators suggest making subject elective and putting less focus on social and political issues – but that would only undermine pupils’ ability to think critically, others say

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Wong Kwan-yu wants to revamp liberal studies to enrich the subject. Source: RTHK

Published: 6:47pm, 6 May 2018Updated: 11:10am, 7 May 2018

Two Hong Kong educators on Sunday proposed revamping the controversial but compulsory liberal studies subject as an elective one that puts less focus on social and political issues.

But school principal Choi Kwok-kwong and union leader Wong Kwan-yu’s ideas were rejected by pro-democracy members of a discussion panel, who said the change would undermine pupils’ ability to think critically and from different perspectives.

“The subject’s goal is to make our young people responsible citizens with the ability to think from different perspectives … It would not be a compulsory subject if this goal was not important,” liberal studies teacher Cheung Yui-fai said during a discussion aired on television.

Liberal studies is a compulsory subject in the DSE. Photo: Handout

Liberal studies became compulsory in 2009 for Form Four to Six pupils seeking to take the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education, or university admission, exams. The subject, which covers six modules including Hong Kong today, modern China and globalisation, was designed to encourage pupils to think critically about current affairs, rather than focusing on rote learning.

Carrie Lam dismisses speculation over changes to controversial liberal studies subject

But in recent years, pro-Beijing politicians have suggested that teachers were being allowed to impart their own political biases, resulting in students being “too critical” about the local or Beijing government and giving rise to a spate of political movements such as the Occupy protests for greater democracy in 2014.