Education leaders in HK urge focus on Constitution

Passing down knowledge of national security within the context of the Constitution and the Basic Law would enable Hong Kong's young people to readily safeguard the rule of law and national security, educational stakeholders said on Friday.

They also said different sectors need to play a bigger part to promote the Constitution, the Basic Law and the city's National Security Law among young people.

Their remarks came on the country's Constitution Day, the first since the National Security Law for Hong Kong was enacted on June 30 and on the same day the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government held an online seminar themed "The Constitution and National Security".

"Education on national security should start with the Constitution," said Wong Kam-leung, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers, noting that China's supreme law clearly lays out the requirement to protect national security and interests, safeguard the nation's unity and all ethnic groups' solidarity, and protect the country from invasion.

"Only by combining national security education with knowledge of the Constitution can students' awareness to readily safeguard national security be strengthened," said Wong, who is also principal of Wong Cho Bau Primary School.

Wong suggested the Education Bureau provide schools with more concrete guidelines over the textbooks and supplementary materials used for Constitution and Basic Law education at school, as some teachers may lack professional knowledge in the field and face challenges to compile teaching materials.

He also suggested that primary and secondary schools appoint a director specifically to manage relevant education and provide teachers with more training opportunities.

The Education Bureau earlier this year issued a guideline to all primary and secondary schools, encouraging them to organize proper activities around the nation's Constitution Day to enhance students' understanding of the law.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, during a meeting on Friday with the Legislative Council's Panel on Education, said that his bureau will continue to adopt multiple-pronged approaches to assist schools to promote the city's civic education and national security education.

Approaches include enriching learning and teaching resources provided to students and teachers, providing teachers with relevant training, organizing extracurricular activities and providing exchange opportunities for students, Yeung said.

He also pledged that the bureau will provide a course guideline to schools within this academic year.

Addressing the National Constitution Day event, Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor urged different sectors of society to help promote the Constitution, the Basic Law and the city's National Security Law among the young generation.

Kacee Ting Wong, a barrister and a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the city's law experts can contribute to the effort by holding free seminars in the field for teachers or young people.

"Another good step to enhance civic education in this area is to organize writing, drawing and drama competitions in school," he said.