The indoctrination of ‘national security’ by Xi Jinping’s regime reached primary schools in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has presented controversial guidelines for schools in the China-administered city including students from the age of six learn about collusion with foreign forces and undermining as part of a new curriculum for national security.

Beijing put one security law in Hong Kong in June 2020 in response to months of protests against the government and Chinaoften violent, in 2019, making the global financial center firmer in one authoritarian path.

The guidelines of the Education office, released late on Thursday, show that Beijing’s plans for semi-autonomous Hong Kong go beyond quelling dissent and pursue social reform to bring the most restless city more into line with the territory ruled by the Communist Party..

“National security is of great importance. Teachers shouldn’t treat it as a controversial topic to discuss it as usual “, it says in the guidelines.

Teachers must make that clear ensuring national security is the responsibility of all nationals and what, in When it comes to national security, there is no room for debate or compromise”.

Following the 2019 protests where many of the protesters were teenagers, Chinese leaders turned to the re-education in an attempt to tame the city’s youth and turn them into loyal citizens.

The Director of the Professional Teachers Union, Ip Kin-yuen, stated the guidelines would cause “Insecurity, ambiguity and fear” for teachers and would reinforce a “restrictive and repressive” teaching style that does not promote student development and independent thinking.

Raymond Yeung, a former teacher partially blinded by a projectile during the 2019 protests, described the guidelines as “One dimensional, if not brainwashed”.

Wong, a mother of elementary school kids, said the law was “Suppressing people’s individual thoughts” and adding national security to curricula creates a climate of fear.

“I’m angry. They can’t bring this to class.”Wong said, declining to give his first name due to the sensitivity of the matter.

Not all parents were against the changes, however.

“It’s a good start, it doesn’t matter who you are and where you come from, you have to love your country”, stated Feng, mother of a six-year-old boy.

“Wise owl”

Primary school children will learn to sing and respect the Chinese national anthem and understand the four major crimes of the new security law, including terrorism and secessionism.

In secondary schools, students will learn what are such crimes that can lead to sanctions up to life imprisonment.

Some legal scholars have said so the language of the law is broad and vague, and that the range of activities that authorities could consider as potential threats to national security was unclear and volatile.

A cartoon educational video promoted by the government shows one owl with glasses and a graduation hat explaining Hong Kong’s institutional architecture, its duties to Beijing’s central government and national security law.

At one point, the video says so “National security issues are of the utmost importance to the whole country”, while showing the smiling faces of a student, a chef and an engineer.

Schools are encouraged to “organize different play activities such as puppet theater, board games to create a good atmosphere and improve students’ understanding of national security“According to the guidelines.

According to the guidelines, kindergartens can help students learn about traditional festivals, music and arts and develop a taste for Chinese customs “Lay the foundation for national security education”. Preschoolers are not expected to learn about crimes against national security.

The Office of Education stated that it accepts that international and private schools have different study plans, but insisted that they have the “Responsibility to help their students (regardless of ethnicity and nationality) acquire a correct and objective understanding of national security”.

Schools should also prevent students and teachers from participating in activities that are considered politicalsuch as singing certain songs, using different elements, forming human chains or shouting slogans.

Teachers and principals should do that inspect bulletin boards, remove books that threaten national security from libraries and call the police if they suspect a violation.

The Bureau noted that national security education will become part of subjects such as geography and biology strengthen students’ sense of national identity.

(With information from Reuters)

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