More than 3,000 Hong Kong students were arrested for committing violent acts during the turmoil in the special administrative region from June 2019 to February this year. It shows the extent to which education has been politicized in Hong Kong by anti-central government forces. As Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor, chief executive of the HKSAR, said at an education forum on Saturday, it is “extremely worrying” that an anti-government mindset and a “rejection” of the country have become rooted in the minds of young people in Hong Kong. It is therefore good to see that her administration is taking a series of measures to ensure that students in the SAR acquire the correct perception of history and the “one country, two systems” framework so that they are not led astray or incited to break the law. Lam said that she has requested the secretary for education to draw up a plan for comprehensive education regarding the Constitution, the Basic Law, the National Anthem Ordinance and the national security legislation for Hong Kong. Not only has such education been lacking in Hong Kong but also the subject of Chinese history was abolished as a compulsory course. In the name of general education, some schools distort history, slander “one country, two systems” and wantonly smear the government and law enforcement bodies. Worse, some pro-independence and anti-government forces have infiltrated Hong Kong campuses and turned classrooms into venues for propagating toxic and extreme ideas under the banner of “independent thinking”. Even teaching materials and examination papers have become the tools for ill-intentioned people to propagate “Hong Kong independence” and advocate violence. As such, with classrooms increasingly politicized, a large number of young people have been led astray, which jeopardizes not only the futures of students themselves but also the future of Hong Kong. If the politicization of Hong Kong’s education is not addressed, the violence that has plagued the SAR will persist. No responsible government would allow young people to fall victim to subversive thinking. Hence, it is no exaggeration to say that saving Hong Kong’s education is to save its future. The authorities in Hong Kong should take vigorous steps to ensure young people in Hong Kong have a better understanding of their obligation to abide by the law and a true understanding of their national identity. –CN
