Education minister’s directive on National Day flag-raising is putting Hong Kong schools in difficult position amid protests, headmasters say
- Kevin Yeung said on Saturday that schools should go ahead with October 1 ceremony despite fears among some of potential for trouble
- Schools worry flag-raising will attract protests and question why they cannot cancel ceremony when government has called off National Day fireworks
A directive from Hong Kong’s education minister on campus flag-raising ceremonies marking the coming National Day has put some schools in a difficult position, according to some headmasters.
They were referring to Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung’s remarks on Saturday that events celebrating National Day on October 1 should go ahead and schools that feared trouble should contact the authorities for advice.
While some schools have considered dropping the ceremony to avoid possible confrontation in light of current upheavals, others might try to satisfy authorities by holding it, albeit toned down.
The usual flag-raising ceremony in schools to commemorate National Day has taken on a politically sensitive nature this year. The city has been plunged into its worst crisis in recent history by months of violent protests against the now-withdrawn extradition bill that have since evolved into a wider campaign calling for, among other things, universal suffrage.
Teddy Tang Chun-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools, said on Monday that the education minister’s remarks on flag-raising had put a lot of pressure on schools.
Tang said he had heard of concerns from some principals that protests might occur during the ceremony, prompting them to consider dropping the event this year.