Some Hong Kong pupils are singing the national anthem too softly, school inspectors have said. Photo: Jonathan WongStudents from two Hong Kong schools have been accused by education authorities of singing the national anthem too softly. Teachers at another institution have been instructed to help pupils develop the habit of performing the song with confidence.
The remarks were contained in a new batch of 10 external review reports on schools compiled and released by the Education Bureau.
The bureau also told a special school for moderately mentally disabled students to equip some teachers with adequate national security knowledge, saying they did not have a comprehensive understanding of the topic.
The reports cover various education performance indicators and offer suggestions, with national education a new element that bureau inspectors look at during their reviews.
The latest reports were released last Wednesday after the first 10 were uploaded last month.
Hong Kong and Macau Lutheran Church Primary School in Tseung Kwan O was told in its review report that it should remind students their voices were weak when they sang the national anthem, “March of the Volunteers”.
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The report also criticised the school for not covering the “recent development of the country” in general studies, a core subject.
“Except for Chinese culture, there are few subjects that promote national security education from the learning and teaching levels,” it said.
“It is still necessary for the school to step up its efforts to promote national education and implement national security education in a whole-school approach.”
Yan Chai Hospital Lim Por Yen Secondary School in Tsuen Wan was also told students’ voices were weak when singing the national anthem.
“Teachers need to remind students more to help students develop the habit of singing the national anthem loudly in unison,” it said.
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Kap Yan Directors’ College in North district was advised to give students more guidance so they could cultivate a habit and confidence in singing the national anthem, although it did not say their voices were weak.
It is not the first time the bureau has taken issue with how students sing the national anthem.
An annual summary inspection report released in December also hit out at teachers and students for singing the national anthem together “a little soft”, although no specific schools were named.
The report on Stewards Pooi Tun Secondary School in Wong Tai Sin said it failed to cover the constitution and the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, in one of the subjects – life and society – in junior forms, although it had already included them in Chinese history, history and citizenship and social development.
The school was told to supplement the subject with the topic.
Tung Wah Group of Hospitals Kwan Fong Kai Chi School in Shek Kip Mei was among those covered in the second batch of reports. The school offers Primary One to Form Six special education to 90 moderately mentally disabled students aged from six to 20 years.
“Some teachers do not have a comprehensive understanding of national security education,” the report said.
“The school must strengthen the professional development of teachers and clarify relevant concepts in order to effectively implement national security education.”
The school uploaded its response to the review report, saying implementing national security education was still in the initial stage.
“Some teachers are taking the lead [in terms of the implementation], and it is understandable that other teachers may not have a complete grasp of national security education,” it said.
“The school will continue to strengthen the professional development of teachers according to school conditions and clarify relevant concepts in a bid to implement national security education in the school more effectively.”
But the bureau praised the school for boosting students’ awareness of national identity and knowledge of Chinese culture as well as for arranging tours to mainland China.
Its students were also praised for showing confidence in raising the national flag with the cooperation of teachers while some sang the national anthem with great ability.
Two schools for mentally disabled students were also criticised in last month’s reports for not doing enough on national security education.
External reviews are part of the school development and accountability framework the bureau introduced in the 2003-04 academic year.
Reviews are conducted by analysing documents provided by schools, observing classes and other activities such as flag-raising ceremonies as well as talking with teachers and parents.