Letters | Singapore can show Hong Kong how to make national security education fun
- Singapore teaches ‘Total Defence’, a concept introduced in 1984, through e-games, card games and badge programmes for uniformed groups in schools, making it fun to learn
Several elements of Hong Kong’s national security education framework appear similar to what is already taught in the Constitution and Basic Law module. Some people wonder if national security education will shake the foundations of the existing education. Yet national security education will only be a three-hour supplement to the currently 15-hour Constitution and Basic Law module, and will be mainly taught under the “key learning area” of personal, social and humanities education.
Modern education places an emphasis on students’ learning motivation and outcomes, rather than seeking to merely implant facts. We cannot hope to achieve the goals of national security education with a boring learning experience. To succeed, we must ensure that our students enjoy the learning experience, and so fulfil the goal of raising awareness of national security in Hong Kong.
04:55
How will the national security law change education in Hong Kong?
Singapore’s teaching of the total-defence concept has gone through several iterations and, today, is taught through e-games, card games and badge programmes for uniformed groups in schools.
More importantly, the goal of total defence is for every Singaporean to play a part in overcoming any challenges to the nation, which include threats to Singapore’s independence and well-being, such as pandemics, terrorism and economic downturns.
02:05
Hong Kong to teach new national security law in classrooms