Advertisement
Advertisement
International schools in Hong Kong
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
Harrow International School Hong Kong is switching to teaching using simplified Chinese characters only in Chinese lessons. Photo: Nugene Chiang/AsiaPix/Corbis

Harrow Hong Kong sticks to its guns over controversial switch to simplified characters only in Chinese lessons

International school says it is dropping traditional Chinese characters from curriculum for younger pupils after ‘listening to a variety of views and following detailed discussions’

Su Xinqi
Su Xinqi
Listen to this article

An international school that sparked controversy for saying it will only teach simplified Chinese characters to younger children to fit “the context Hong Kong will be in by 2047” defended its decision as one made in the best interest of pupils.

Harrow International School Hong Kong, in a statement issued on Wednesday, made clear that it was dropping traditional Chinese characters from the curriculum of the Lower School – kindergarten and primary level – after “listening to a variety of views and following detailed discussions”.

Post
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Education in Hong Kong
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
A statue of Confucius. The new guide on visual arts includes aesthetics of Confucian and Taoist culture, and suggests teachers use traditional Chinese painting theory as a criteria of for assessing pupils’ artwork. Photo: Shutterstock

Hong Kong revamps school guides for visual arts, music to promote national identity, security

  • Education Bureau suggests traditional Chinese painting theory be used as criteria for assessing pupils’ artwork, among other new emphases
William Yiu
William Yiu
Listen to this article

Education authorities in Hong Kong have revamped the subject curriculum guides for two subjects, visual arts and music, to strengthen students’ national identity and bolster their understanding of national security through appreciation and practice of more Chinese artworks and culture.

In a circular released on Friday, the Education Bureau said the new guide on visual arts included aesthetics of Confucian and Taoist culture, and also suggested teachers use traditional Chinese painting theory as a criteria for assessing pupils’ artwork.

The new guides will apply to all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong starting from next month.

The bureau said the changes came after an ad hoc committee was set up in 2022 to update the guides, tasked with deepening pupils’ understanding of Chinese culture.

“Through related music learning experiences, such as appreciation and performance of Chinese music, Cantonese opera, Chinese folk songs, and Chinese art songs, students will learn about the relationship between the musical characteristics and their cultural background and significance, thereby cultivating proper values and attitudes among students,” the bureau said in the circular.

“Schools can devise themes that convey positive messages, as well as select artworks of the past and present from different cultural contexts to develop students’ proper values and attitudes, including cherishing Chinese culture, national identity, respect for cultural diversity, and developing a world view.”

Every Saturday
Hong Kong Update Newsletter
Our weekly round-up of the best news, stories and opinion from Hong Kong.
By submitting, you consent to receiving marketing emails from SCMP. If you don't want these, tick here
By registering, you agree to ourT&CandPrivacy Policy

The previous versions of the two guides were published in 2003.

Several revamped subject guides released previously, as well as some newly introduced subjects in primary and secondary schools, had already stressed raising students’ awareness of national security, identity, ­lawfulness and patriotism following social unrest in the city in 2019.

In the new guide on visual arts, schools are asked to design themes that convey positive messages and select artworks to cultivate students’ correct values and attitudes on cherishing Chinese culture and acknowledging national identity.

“When experiencing traditional crafts, such as kneading flour dolls and making lanterns, students cannot only make them by hand, but also learn the craftsman’s dedicated spirit and pursuit of excellence, thereby cultivating the importance of traditional Chinese virtues,” it said.

It said one of the main principles behind the curriculum for the visual arts subject was to strengthen national education and security education, as well as establish national identity – elements not seen in the last version of the guide.

The guide also introduced a Chinese perspective in the assessment criteria of students’ work.

The Junior Chinese Orchestra perform at a 2015 festival at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Franke Tsang

“The assessment criteria must reflect different aesthetic perspectives, such as essentialism, formalism, instrumentalism, the aesthetics of Confucian and Taoist culture, and traditional Chinese painting theory,” it said, noting the previous version did not include the latter two Chinese-specific items.

In the guide on music, it said one of the new main principles of the subject’s curriculum planning was to ensure students had a grasp on the country’s conditions and knowledge of national security. The subject should promote national education and cultivate patriotism among pupils, strengthening their national identity through learning Chinese music.

The guide also asked teachers to play the national anthem, lead students in singing it and teach them the related etiquette. The subject must help students understand the relationship between the anthem’s musical elements and its cultural background, so as to enhance students’ understanding of national symbolism and identity, the guide added.

Education authorities said they would provide diverse resources and organise different professional development programmes for schools to implement the elements emphasised in the updated guides.

Chu Kwok-keung, a primary school principal and lawmaker representing the education sector, said infusing national identity and security education into both subjects aligned with the city’s latest social developments.

“I think we should see the new guides positively,” he said.

He said training should be offered to teachers to help them implement the new guides.

Advertisement
1
William Yiu
William is a journalist with more than 15 years of experience. He has worked for different radio stations and Chinese-language newspapers — covering education and politics respectively — before joining the Post in 2021.
1
1
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Education in Hong Kong
Get more with myNEWS
A personalised news feed of stories that matter to you
Learn more
The Education Bureau also suggested schools assign “appropriate self-learning tasks” to replace traditional written homework assignments so pupils had enough rest time during long breaks. Photo: Kelly Le

Hong Kong primary schools urged to avoid arranging exams after long holidays

  • Education Bureau puts forward list of new measures for assignments and exam arrangements to foster healthy lifestyle among pupils
Jess Ma
Jess Ma
Listen to this article

Hong Kong education authorities have urged primary schools to avoid arranging exams right after long holidays to improve pupils’ mental well-being.

The Education Bureau issued a circular on Monday recommending all primary schools adopt a list of new measures for assignments and exam arrangements to foster a healthy lifestyle among pupils.

Post
Advertisement
Advertisement
We use cookies to tailor your experience and present relevant ads. By clicking “Accept”, you agree that cookies can be placed per our Privacy Policy.