Choi eases fears on flag snub fallout

Schools will not over-correct students for violating the national flag and anthem education, Secretary for Education Christine Choi Yuk-lin said.

Her comment came after a secondary school suspended 14 students for three days after they did not attend the national flag raising ceremony on campus last month.

Choi said yesterday Hong Kong needs talents "who love the country and love Hong Kong."

She said students should have knowledge of the national flag and the national anthem, and schools need to regulate it.

"But the purpose of setting school rules is not to make students suffer, but to help them do well next time after being punished," said Choi, emphasizing that schools are training students to be disciplined.

Reiterating chief executive John Lee Ka-chiu's policy address where he proposed that schools should appoint a dedicated person for national education, Choi said that director-level teachers would take up the post, as they are capable of mobilizing resources more effectively.

Choi said the goal of the mainland study tour for newly-appointed teachers in publicly-funded schools and teachers aspiring for promotion, is to allow them to reflect, inspire and enrich their personal cultivation.

Meanwhile, a poll of 211 principals and teachers by Shine Tak Foundation and School Heads Associations in mid-September found that 56 percent of them believed that national security education lacked teaching resources and 45 percent believed that teachers did not have a good grasp of the curriculum.

Although nearly half agreed that it would be easier for schools to carry out one country, two systems education after the implementation of national security law, less than 30 percent considered the education effective, and 46 percent rated it "partially effective".

The foundation hoped to strengthen education by developing multimedia interactive teaching materials and a material database, including speeches of national leaders, its executive vice chairman Tong Sau-chai said.

It said a telephone or online platform should be set up for questions on the constitution, the Basic Law and the national security law.