Hong Kong education chief denies changes to Liberal Studies textbooks amount to political censorship
- Minister Kevin Yeung says removing ‘separation of powers’ from some teaching materials brings them in line with fact
- Removal of descriptions of June 4 crackdown in one text was the decision of the publisher, he says, noting the vetting scheme was voluntary
Hong Kong’s education minister has dismissed claims that controversial changes to Liberal Studies textbooks amounted to political censorship, saying removing the phrase “separation of powers” from descriptions about the city’s politics was a decision rooted in fact.
Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung also defended the bureau’s voluntary vetting scheme, arguing the presentation of some concepts in the revised textbooks was “much more accurate than before”.
Liberal Studies, which was introduced in 2009 as a compulsory subject for senior secondary pupils to strengthen their critical thinking, has become a controversial topic in recent years as some teaching materials were deemed biased and blamed by pro-Beijing figures for radicalising students.
Most of the Liberal Studies textbooks used in the city’ s classrooms come from six publishers, all of which took part in the bureau’s voluntary consultancy service rolled out last year. The reviews are carried out by a team made up of inspectors, university academics and education professionals. The first batch of revised ones are expected to go into use when classes resume next month.
The phrase “separation of powers” was deleted from the module about contemporary Hong Kong by at least two publishers, while the definition of civil disobedience has added emphasis that participants should expect to face legal consequences.