HONG KONG — In Hong Kong, demonstrations are escalating against the introduction of patriotism classes aimed at teaching school children history and the ideology of the Chinese Communist Party. Residents of the former British colony are fearful implementation of the curriculum signals China’s intent to extend its control over the semi-autonomous city.
The first day of the Hong Kong school year ended Monday with 8,000 parents and children demonstrating outside government headquarters. Dressed head to toe in black, they were protesting the launch of a national education program in city schools.
The curriculum’s objectives were outlined in a recent government-funded pamphlet entitled The China Model, which vaunts the Chinese Communist Party, glosses over events, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, and describes multi-party democracy as malignant.
Patriotism classes begin
Although not mandatory until 2015, six junior schools began patriotism classes this week. Retired teacher James Hon is one of 10 members of the Alliance against National Education who vow to remain on a hunger strike until the pro-Beijing government cancels what they consider a program to “brainwash” school children.
“With the implementation of a brainwashing curriculum, our children will grow up like those in China who dare not speak their hearts, unable to distinguish right and wrong, who become blind patriots. That is what Hong Kong people are worried about,” said Hon.
The city’s number two administrator, Chief Secretary Carrie Lam, disagrees with the criticism. She told a news conference that the curriculum’s objectives are commendable and that fears of brainwashing are ill-founded.
“The question cannot be simplified to whether the government is prepared to withdraw this subject. The focus should be to ensure teaching will achieve its desired objective: to nurture our younger generation to have the right attitude toward their family, society, and [to] know about the country,” said Lam.
