Hong Kong student, teacher groups launch petition demanding explanation of new vetting process for liberal studies textbooks
- Removal of the phrase ‘separation of powers’ and photos of past protests in the city amount to ‘political censorship’, student group spokesman says
- Education Bureau has so far declined to reveal the make-up of the team responsible for suggesting changes to publishers
Student and teacher groups on Friday launched a petition urging Hong Kong’s education authorities to withdraw controversial changes made to liberal studies textbooks under a new vetting scheme, saying the corrections amounted to “political censorship”.
The petition, organised by the newly formed student group Education Breakthrough along with the Progressive Teachers’ Alliance and Hong Kong Educators Alliance, aims to collect at least 10,000 signatures calling on the bureau to disclose the vetting criteria.
Six publishers, which together comprise most of the liberal studies textbook market, have voluntarily entered a new “professional consultancy service” offered by the Education Bureau, with the first batch of vetted textbooks expected to come into use by September.
Liberal studies, a compulsory subject for senior secondary pupils, was introduced in 2009 to encourage critical thinking and raise awareness of contemporary issues. But it has come under fire in recent years from pro-establishment figures who have deemed some teaching materials biased and blamed it for “radicalising” young people.
The changes, first revealed by the publishers on Monday, included the removal of the phrase “separation of powers” as well as multiple political cartoons, while criticisms towards the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese governments had been toned down.