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Sum Lok-kei

Chan Ho-him

Pupils should not protest against the incoming national security law at Hong Kong’s schools, including singing songs with political messages such as the protester anthem Glory to Hong Kong , the city’s education minister has said.
The song was “clearly propaganda”, Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung said on Thursday, adding that students should also not take it upon themselves to promote the new law.
Asked what songs might be prohibited, Yeung told a local radio programme that the bureau did not intend to create a list, but “schools should know”.
“People are creative, there may be news ones or parodied songs, so we will not say formally which ones [are prohibited],” he said.

Asked whether Do You Hear the People Sing, a song about the French Revolution from the musical Les Miserables, would be allowed, Yeung said it would, but that it depended on the environment and the aims of those singing it.
He added that political advocacy in general should be left outside school, and the bureau would be the one promoting the new law to students when it was fully implemented.
Yeung’s remarks came a day after he sent a letter to schools calling on them to punish teachers and students who boycotted class over the new law.
The letter also said students should not chant or post slogans, form human chains, or sing songs containing political messages on campus.
Hong Kong pupils back in school with protests and Covid-19 on their minds
Hong Kong Secondary School Students Action Platform, which is backed by pro-democracy group Demosisto, plans to hold a vote on Sunday to ask pupils if they want to stage a class boycott before the summer holidays begin.
China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, is drafting a national security law that could be imposed on Hong Kong as early as August.
The law’s stated intent is to prevent, stop and punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and foreign interference in Hong Kong, though the city’s opposition politicians and legal scholars warn it could be used to suppress dissent and erode freedoms.
Demosisto is hoping for as many as 10,000 pupils to vote.


On Thursday, Yeung said the bureau objected to the boycott because class had just resumed after being suspended for four months due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Yeung also said the bureau would develop teaching materials for schools on the law and provide training to teachers on how to use them.
But Teddy Tang Chun-keung, chairman of the Hong Kong Association of the Heads of Secondary Schools, said Yeung would be better served leaving such matters to individual schools.
“I think [Yeung] shouldn’t send us more letters, because we are already busy,” Tang said.
With Yeung calling for teachers and students to be punished if they go on strike over the new law, Tang urged his peers to listen instead.
“If students are still bothered by societal events and want to express their views … schools should provide a way to communicate with them,” he said.
Punish students, teachers who join strike over security law: education chief
But Tang said he was not convinced that many teachers would be going on strike by taking a day off, as they knew their top priority would be to care for any pupils who show up at school.
Tang also said schools should educate students on the national security law, but only when enough information was available to make the teaching meaningful.
As for Yeung’s claim that politics should stay off campus, Tang said: “From Sun Yat-sen’s point of view, politics is a matter for everyone, and students are people too.”
Sun was a Chinese philosopher, doctor and politician who is referred to as the father of the nation.
Meanwhile, despite the education chief’s warnings, a secondary school student concern group has called for pupils to form a human chain on Friday to protest against the school’s handling of a teacher they said was let go over “political considerations”.
Hong Kong protests: class boycott hits schools on first day of term
According to the Heung To Middle School Hong Kong Indigenous Concern Group, the teacher, surnamed Lee, said she was terminated for reasons including “not sharing the same political views as the school” and allowing students to perform Glory to Hong Kong during music exams.
The school sent an email about the current situation to parents and students on Thursday. While giving no specific reasons for letting Lee go, the notice, which identified Hueng To as a “traditional patriotic school”, said factors taken into account when deciding on contract renewals include “whether the teacher can meet the school’s philosophy and vision”.
The Post has contacted the school for comment.
A member of the student group, meanwhile, said Yeung’s remarks would not deter their plan, as it was an act to “suppress students from voicing opposing views”.



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Hong Kong national security law (NSL)

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Pupils from schools in Mid-Levels form a human chain as part of last year’s anti-government protests. Photo: Nora Tam

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung Yun-hung attends Learning & Teaching Expo 2019 in HKCEC, Wan Chai. 11DEC19 Photo:SCMP/May Tse

Punish any students or teachers who join planned strike over national security law, Hong Kong education chief tells schools

An upcoming “referendum” on the strike has no constitutional basis, says education chief Kevin Yeung. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

(L to R) Carson Tsang Long-hin spokesperson from Ideologist; Isaac Cheng Ka-long spokesperson for Hong Kong Secondary Schools Actions Platform and Thomas (full name not given), member of Demovanile,  attend Press briefing HK on Strike - Labour Union Coalition Calls for the First Referendum on General Strike in Mong Kok. Labour Unions and student unions are threatening to strike as a'warning shot' against Beijing's proposed national security for Hong Kong. 06JUN20 SCMP / Jonathan Wong

Students on class boycott rally at Edinburgh Place in Central. On the first day of the new school year, students across the city skipped classes in a bid to spread their anti-extradition bill messages. 02SEP19 SCMP/ Nora Tam

Hong Kong pupils continue return to school despite concerns over coronavirus outbreak

Children walk to school as classes resume at SKH Holy Spirit Primary School near Lek Yuen Estate, Sha Tin. Photo: Winson Wong

Students and teachers of S.K.H. St. James' Primary School in Wan Chai pray for the ease of coronavirus situation in Hong Kong before resumption of class. Hundreds of local primary schools reopened this morning, after being forced to shut by the coronavirus pandemic. 08JUN20 SCMP / Nora Tam

Primary school students uses hand sanitiser upon entering the school grounds as classes resume, at SKH Holy Spirit Primary School near Lek Yuen Estate, Sha Tin. Hundreds of local primary schools reopened this morning, after being forced to shut by the coronavirus pandemic. 08JUN20 SCMP / Winson Wong

News

Hong Kong

Education

Politics


While the bureau will not create a list of banned songs, ‘schools should know’ which ones cross the line into political territory, Yeung says
Officials will develop teaching materials for schools on new law and provide training for teachers on using them



While the bureau will not create a list of banned songs, ‘schools should know’ which ones cross the line into political territory, Yeung says.


National education in Hong Kong

Hong Kong protests

National security law protests, ‘propaganda’ songs have no place in Hong Kong schools, says education minister Kevin Yeung

While the bureau will not create a list of banned songs, ‘schools should know’ which ones cross the line into political territory, Yeung says Officials will develop teaching materials for schools on new law and provide training for teachers on using them

While the bureau will not create a list of banned songs, ‘schools should know’ which ones cross the line into political territory, Yeung says

Officials will develop teaching materials for schools on new law and provide training for teachers on using them