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Written by: Hu Jiaxin
2021-04-15 08:00
Last update date: 2021-04-15 08:00
The education curriculum in Hong Kong has gradually infiltrated national security knowledge. Unfamiliar concepts and vague "red lines" make it difficult for teachers to master how to teach.
Huang Jingrong, principal of Chuangzhi Middle School of the traditional patriotic school, believes that controversial issues such as Taiwan independence, Hong Kong independence, and new powers can still be discussed in the classroom. The overall national interest is given priority.
Educational scholar Xu Hanrong criticized that national security issues have not reached a consensus in the society, but schools are not allowed to open up for discussion, and the only conclusion should be official discourse, which is like "political propaganda."
He pointed out that in the era of information circulation, "don't be a student stupid." Students will only change to dialogue with online "stratostrata". Instead, their thinking will have the opportunity to become extreme and will not achieve patriotic effects.
(Guoan Education Series. Part 2)
Extended reading: (Guoan Education Series. Part 1) Guoan Education｜The teacher rebukes the subject guidelines for vague and worrying stepping on the red line Education Bureau: Students should be guided to understand
Huang Jingrong, principal of Chuangzhi Middle School, a traditional patriotic school, said that since September last year, the school classroom has gradually infiltrated elements of national security.
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
President Huang Jingrong: We must start with understanding socialist China
Since September last year, Chuangzhi Middle School has successively added elements of national security education in various subjects and reformed the coordination of junior high school life and social subjects.
The school also set up a "Constitution Classroom" to imitate the court environment to help teach the Basic Law, the Constitution and the National Security Law.
Huang Jingrong, the principal who has promoted national security education in schools for more than half a year, believes that as part of national education, the key to national security education is to cultivate the "national consciousness" of teachers and students. Only by understanding socialist China and identifying yourself as a part of the country can you achieve conscious maintenance National security and interests.
He pointed out that national security involves a "higher level" category, including legal provisions and ideological awareness. However, the national identity of Hong Kong people has not been improved for many years, and the national concept has not been handled properly. The National Security Education was forced to be implemented in September this year, which undoubtedly affects education. The world is "jump a step, so demanding."
Thinking from the perspective of the central government, he believes that Hong Kong has failed to enact legislation for Article 23 of the Basic Law since its return. Since 2014, there have been Umbrella Movement, Mong Kok riots, and anti-amendment incidents. Many young people have participated, or even have a high degree of involvement by Western forces, threatening Hong Kong to implement one country, two systems, "forcing the country to draw a red line", implementing the National Security Law in Hong Kong, and then promoting national security education.
Urge the Education Bureau to issue more subject guidelines
Some front-line teachers criticized that the National Security Education Guidelines of the Education Bureau set a "red line," but failed to clarify what is meant by "threatening national security," causing doubts about teaching.
Huang Jingrong agrees that the concept of national security itself is ambiguous. What is meant by "threatening national security" involves legal definitions, personal subjective feelings, and a wide range of concepts involved, which will evolve with social development.
He believes that there is room for improvement in the education guidelines of the authorities, but it is actually difficult to list in detail the matters that "threat" national security, "even if the law is related."
He agrees that teachers have challenges and pressures in teaching, especially the rush to implement courses, which have been gradually implemented since September this year. The authorities have yet to have teaching materials and sufficient teacher training. Teachers can only explore through teaching practice.
The Education Bureau earlier launched the Curriculum Guidelines for General Studies in Primary Schools, Geography in Secondary Schools, and Biology in Senior Secondary Schools to explain how National Security Education is integrated into various subjects. He urged the official to release more subject guidelines as soon as possible, supplemented by relevant teaching examples, and produced teaching kits. Zha clarified the correct political position and assisted the teacher in teaching.
Huang Jingrong, head of Chuangzhi Middle School, believes that teachers and students need to have "national awareness", and the long-term overall interests of the country should be given priority when thinking.
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
The teacher's conclusion on Taiwan independence must indicate that Taiwan is part of China
The National Security Education Guidelines of the Education Bureau emphasize that although teachers can help students understand the incident from different angles, they must clearly point out that "there is no room for debate or compromise on issues involving national security." Huang Jingrong believes that the class can still discuss sensitive issues of Hong Kong independence and Taiwan independence. We can also talk about the June 4th incident and the "re-education camps" of the new powers. However, teachers must have "national awareness" and take the long-term overall interests of the country and the interests of the majority as the starting point for thinking, and guide students to "consistent with the national position.
For example, when discussing the issue of Taiwan independence in the classroom, teachers can talk about Taiwan’s “proclaiming itself as a country”, agreeing that Taiwan is a political entity and possessing relevant elements of an independent state; from the perspectives of history, politics, law, and the world’s political structure, teachers can help students understand and Analyzing the problem, it must be concluded that Taiwan is a part of China. "Taiwan is a tool for the struggle between China and the United States. Under this political background, as a part of the Chinese nation, does Taiwan play a role in the development of the country and the nation?"
When talking about June 4th, present the views of the West, the opposition and the country
The school’s newly established "Chinese Culture Center" exhibited the development history of the Mainland. It mentioned the June 4th incident and described it as "Beijing and some other cities have developed a political turmoil, which has caused short-term social unrest."
Huang Jingrong said that the official curriculum did not list the June 4th incident as the focus of teaching, and the school would not take the initiative to talk about it. If students ask questions, teachers can answer them, tell the story of the June 4th incident, and present the views of the West, the opposition and the country.
He believes that teachers "can't just talk about repression and bleeding", and they must guide students to understand the country's decision-making. "This is an unfortunate incident. If it is not handled properly, it will lead to the disintegration of the Soviet Union." He also pointed out June 4th. The incident has now become "an incident of international and opposition parties discrediting and attacking China."
Huang Jingrong, the principal of Chuangzhi Middle School, emphasized that the discussion process can criticize the regime's handling methods. Students need not trust the government's measures, but teachers have the responsibility to guide students to conform to the state's position.
(Photo by Zhang Haowei)
When asked whether the teacher’s conclusion is different from the official position and whether it would violate the law or education guidelines, Huang Jingrong did not respond, but pointed out that if the teacher put forward various points of view, he finally opened the conclusion, "It can only be said that it is negligence of duty, not a violation of the National Security Law. ."
He does not deny that this kind of pre-existing discussion will cause students’ backlash, "Students should teach slowly, don’t be too eager, and pay attention to listening." He also doesn’t think it is teaching students to blindly patriot. Students can still criticize the regime. If you don’t believe in the government, you can choose to be patriotic or not, but you can’t choose to overthrow the country or the regime. "You can have no feelings about him, but you can overthrow him if you like."
Xu Hanrong, a lecturer in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership at the University of Education, said that the red line of education is not clear, and teachers can only say so directly to avoid danger.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
Lecturer Xu Hanrong: Adding opinions to students runs counter to world education
The National Security Education Guidelines of the Education Bureau stipulate that teachers must clearly point out to students that "there is no room for debate or compromise on issues involving national security," said Xu Hanrong, a lecturer in the Department of Education Policy and Leadership at the University of Education who was a former general education teacher. In the past, course documents seldom contained the words "incontrovertible".
Xu Hanrong believes that from the educational point of view, "nothing can be discussed". Discussions only need to be based on the moral and factual basis agreed by society. Teachers promote students to discuss and think from the side, and help students build a personal knowledge system and have the ability to seek truth and knowledge. The spirit of becoming an independent thinking person.
He pointed out that the one-way instillation of a set of knowledge by teachers, and even the imposition of opinions on students, is contrary to the global education trend and the education reform in Hong Kong.
He believes that there is no right or wrong to consider the national interest in class discussions, and most people are not disgusted with the concept of the country, but the key is that the Education Bureau’s guidelines confuse national security with the crisis of governance, and "national security" is from concept to law in Hong Kong society. There is no consensus yet. Under these two major themes, the authorities have asked teachers to point out that national security issues are indisputable. He criticized the guidelines for not being for educational purposes, but for political propaganda, telling students that the regime cannot be challenged, "When you When you try to shake the government, you will have consequences."
Worried that students turn to the Internet to find "stratospheres" more and more extreme
"There is no big right and wrong in this world. Everything is right and wrong, and everything can be right and wrong. Talking about big things and bad things is actually a final decision. I don't want you to discuss it again." Xu Hanrong believes that before discussing any issues in class, including sensitive topics , With established positions and conclusions, it is not an ideal academic discussion.
In the discussion process, if the teacher wants to guide the students to reach a unique conclusion, the process needs to constantly deny the students' ideas and affect the atmosphere of communication between teachers and students.
He said, "Don’t be a stupid student." When the classroom cannot be discussed freely and cannot be compatible with multiple voices, in the age of advanced information, students will only seek “stratotype” recognition in the Internet world. "A lot of people have responded to me." Instead, thinking has a chance to become more extreme, and it will not achieve the so-called patriotic effect.
Guoan Education regulates professional autonomy. Xu Hanrong bluntly said that he was pessimistic about the prospects of education. He urged the government to clarify whether teachers can use other teaching materials to balance teaching in addition to the official teaching materials of Guoan Education.
He also sent a message to teachers to be cautious so as not to conflict with the "red line", and to look farther.
Xu Hanrong feels pessimistic about the prospects of education, so he should not bump into it.
(Photo by Liang Pengwei)
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