No plan to extend national education, Hong Kong leader says amid controversy over undersecretary pick
Chief Executive Carrie Lam denies central government’s influence in appointment of pro-Beijing school principal Christine Choi
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor quashed speculation on Wednesday that her new administration was planning to introduce the teaching of national education as an independent subject, a move that was aborted in 2012 after widespread protests over concerns about “brainwashing”.
Speaking a day after naming of 18 new politically appointed officials for her administration, Lam said the widely opposed choice of pro-Beijing school principal Christine Choi Yuk-lin as undersecretary for education was not related to reintroducing the patriotic curriculum.
“National education has always been ongoing in our schools in one form or another,” Lam said. “I realise that five years ago, using a particular approach to implement national education in schools stirred up some controversy.”
Hong Kong teachers oppose appointment of pro-Beijing educator as undersecretary
She clarified that “at the moment”, the government had “no particular plan” to extend the teaching of national education in schools. “This has nothing to do with this particular appointment of Dr Choi,” Lam said.
