Hong Kong teacher’s history lesson on first opium war ‘obviously untrue and unacceptable’, says Education Bureau
- Teacher from Ho Lap Primary School told pupils first conflict in 1840 started because Britain ‘wanted to attack China in an attempt to ban smoking’
- School principal apologises and government says it will investigate if teacher is guilty of professional misconduct
A Hong Kong school has apologised after a teacher gave incorrect information to pupils during an online lesson on the first opium war, the 19th century conflict which resulted in China ceding Hong Kong Island to Britain.
The Education Bureau said the teacher’s retelling of the hostilities was “obviously untrue and unacceptable”, adding it would investigate the incident.
A video circulating on social media platforms this week showed a teacher, believed to be from Ho Lap Primary School in Tsz Wan Shan, telling a class that the conflict – which erupted in 1840 – was the result of Britain’s attempt to ban opium smoking in China.
In the three-minute video, the teacher said: “Britain wanted to attack China in an attempt to ban smoking … Because Britain had found back then many people in China were smoking and the problem was really serious.
“Therefore, they [Britain] initiated the opium war so as to destroy these items called opium.”
