Policy Address
Moral and National Education
152. Among the five domains of moral, intellectual, physical, social and aesthetic developments, moral development is regarded as the most important one and the foundation of education. In fact, deepening students’ understanding of the history, culture and developments of our country, and strengthening education on the Constitution and the Basic Law are the fundamentals for fostering their sense of national identity and awareness of national security. The current-term Government has made Chinese History an independent compulsory subject at the junior secondary level, and the new curriculum of the subject has been rolled out progressively from Secondary One in the current school year. The EDB will provide opportunities for students to join study tours that integrate with the curriculum, and encourage primary and secondary students to learn more about the essence of Chinese culture for nurturing their moral character and cultural identity. Moreover, the EDB will, through diversified activities, cultivate primary and secondary students’ comprehensive understanding of the nation’s development, the Constitution and the Basic Law, the implementation of “One Country, Two Systems” and the importance of national security, and teach them to respect and preserve the dignity of the national flag and the national anthem as symbols of our country, to foster positive values among students as well as develop in them a sense of identity, belonging and responsibility towards the nation, the Chinese race and our society.
Liberal Studies
153. There has been ongoing controversy over the subject of Liberal Studies under the senior secondary curriculum in the society. Hence, the direction of reform in future should focus on rectifying the previous deviation from the subject’s objectives, and reinstating it as the platform to help students establish a sound foundation of knowledge, make connection between the knowledge across different subjects, develop critical thinking skills, analyse contemporary issues in a rational manner and learn about the development of our nation, the Constitution, the Basic Law, the rule of law and so forth.
154. The reform of curriculum should tie in with the work of examination and assessment. In the previous school year, a wrong question in the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination has generated heated discussions in the community. I expect that the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority will improve its question moderation mechanism continuously to prevent the recurrence of similar problems.
