“I specifically told them that they were going to the mainland to see the development of the country in every aspect. We, of course, arranged for them to see different things so they will know which fields they are interested in after learning more,” Chan said.

He estimated about 40,000 students would go on similar trips in the current academic year.

Some students from Hon Wah College told the media they felt quite excited about the trip and hoped they could meet new friends during a visit to a mainland secondary school.

One of the pupils said: “We hope to understand China more and we will visit technological firms during this trip.”

His schoolmate said the tour could help widen their choices when considering further studies.

“We might have only thought about how to enter a local university in Hong Kong, or how to go abroad to study, such as to the United States and the United Kingdom,” the student said.

“We might find we have more pathways after this tour, like we could go to the Greater Bay Area,” the student said, referring to Beijing’s ambitious scheme to link Hong Kong, Macau and nine Guangdong cities into an integrated economic and business powerhouse.

Some students said they were required to submit a 1,000-word report to their school on how the bay area could help Hong Kong youth.

Hong Kong schools look forward to overseas study tours restart as quarantine ends

Also joining the trip were pupils from New Territories Heung Yee Kuk Yuen Long District Secondary School.

Leading the tour, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin attended the launch ceremony of the programme at a secondary school in Guangzhou, where the director general of the education, science and technology department of Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong and officials from the education department of Guangdong province welcomed them.

Choi said more than 40,000 students would join such study tours with more than 20 themes by August. She said she hoped Hong Kong pupils would act as ambassadors and showcase their qualities.

Overseas universities may not automatically recognise Hong Kong’s new subject

She added the trips were a vital component of the subject as they would allow students to learn more about the country in person and build their national identity.

“The purpose [of the study tours] is for high school students to experience Chinese culture and gain a deeper understanding of the latest developments and achievements of our country, to build their cultural confidence and national identity,” she said.

According to the Education Bureau, the delegation will visit places to learn about Guangzhou’s local history, culture and technological development. They will return to Hong Kong on Tuesday evening.

The new core subject for ­senior secondary students was introduced to replace liberal studies in 2021, ­following accusations the curriculum was radicalising youngsters.

The new syllabus focuses on national security, identity, ­lawfulness and patriotism.

Hong Kong schools forced to cancel tours over Covid-19 owed refunds: lawmaker

The bureau provided 22 possible routes for mainland tours. Eight of them were one-day trips, six were two-day itineraries, and the rest were three-day tours.

Students in Form Four in September 2021 were the first group to study the new subject.

The subject only has two grades: “attained” or “not attained”, instead of the university entrance exam’s seven-point system.

The compulsory tours required for the new subject did not start when it was launched in the last school year because of pandemic-related travel restrictions.

Hong Kong students will be able to do 1-day trips to mainland China for subject

After the border reopened in January, the bureau said priority would be given to Form Five students as there was a greater urgency for them to join the tours.

Meanwhile, education authorities in February offered a new option of one-day trips, which was unavailable when the bureau initially asked schools for their preference last July. Tour expenses are fully covered by the government.