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The Guardian
14 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Hong Kong teachers allegedly told to avoid US Independence Day events
Teachers in Hong Kong have been warned to keep themselves and students away from any US Independence Day celebrations as they may breach national security laws, educators have alleged. A text message purportedly sent by the principal of a Hong Kong school to staff said the education bureau's regional education office had reminded them 'to be careful about Independence Day activities organised by the US consulate in Hong Kong, and not to participate to avoid violating the national security law and Hong Kong laws'. The text was published on Edu Lancet, a Facebook page run by a former manager at the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Hans Yeung. It urged staff to be diligent in 'protecting' any students who were considering participating, and to discourage them. Another email shared on Edu Lancet and seen independently by the Guardian, told faculty staff that any teacher who received an invitation from an embassy or a foreign organisation funded by an embassy must seek permission to attend from the principal for the purpose of 'maintaining national security'. The Hong Kong education bureau did not confirm or deny the claims in response to questions from the Guardian, but in a statement said it had enacted policies to help schools 'effectively prevent and suppress acts and activities that endanger or are detrimental to national security'. 'Schools have the responsibility to play a good gatekeeper role and to enhance the sensitivity of teachers and students to national security,' it said. The bureau had enacted 'clear guidelines' for schools which required them to 'establish school-based mechanisms and formulate appropriate measures according to their own circumstances and needs to implement various tasks related to safeguarding national security and national security education', it added. The bureau did not answer questions about what laws would be broken by attending any Fourth of July event, or whether such warnings only applied to the US holiday. The US Consulate in Hong Kong has been contacted for comment. Edu Lancet and Yeung, who runs the page to voice concerns from those working with the education system and 'expose the current problems', have been criticised by the Hong Kong government in the past for their posts. The security secretary, Chris Tang, has accused Yeung of 'making incitements' from his now home in the UK. The purported directives fit in with tightening restrictions on Hong Kong's education system, and a push to have the curriculum focus more on national security amid increased control of the city by the Chinese government. After pro-democracy protests wracked the city in 2019, the ruling Chinese Communist party imposed a national security law on Hong Kong which broadly outlawed acts of dissent and opposition as violations against the state. In 2020 the then chief executive, Carrie Lam, blamed the education system for fuelling the protests, setting the tone for an overhaul which is still ongoing. The Hong Kong government has since altered the school curriculum to include teachings on national security in subjects including English language, music, maths and sport, and to focus more on patriotic education. It has also banned texts it sees as endangering national security, including a picture book about sheep created by the city's physiotherapists union, and prosecuted authors. Teachers in Hong Kong have previously told the Guardian they felt pressure to self-censor, in fear of being reported for remarks seen as unpatriotic. Since the start of the 2023-24 school year, all new teachers in public sector schools, direct subsidy scheme schools and kindergartens must sit an exam on Hong Kong's mini constitution, the Basic Law, and the national security law. Hong Kong's education minister, Christine Choi, has repeatedly warned of 'soft resistance' in schools, and this month said educators had to be vigilant against the infiltration of 'hostile forces' through events such as book fairs and extracurricular activities which 'could include undesirable reading materials'. Additional reporting by Jason Tzu Kuan Lu
HKFP
15 hours ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Schools must be national security ‘gatekeepers,' gov't says after principal warns against US consulate event
A Hong Kong school principal has warned teachers not to take part in Independence Day activities hosted by the US consulate after the city's authorities reportedly warned that participation may violate national security legislation. The unnamed school principal's remarks were quoted in a Wednesday post by Edu Lancet – a social media page run by former Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority (HKEAA) subject manager Hans Yeung. A screenshot of the principal's message attached to the post reads: 'Per a reminder received from the Education Bureau's regional education office, teachers are reminded to be careful about Independence Day activities held by the US consulate in Hong Kong.' The principal advised against taking part in the celebrations 'to avoid violating the national security law and Hong Kong laws.' The message said, 'If you learn that there are students participating, please put the protection of students first and discourage them from doing so.' 'Clear guidelines' In a reply to Ming Pao, the Education Bureau (EDB) said: 'Schools have the responsibility to properly carry out their role as gatekeepers and enhance teachers' and students' sensitivity to national security.' However, the EDB did not confirm whether it had issued such a directive, nor did it clarify whether participating in US Independence Day events would amount to a violation of Hong Kong's national security laws. The bureau pointed out that Hong Kong would soon mark the fifth anniversary of the enactment of Beijing's national security law and said its multi-pronged approach included activities inside and outside the classroom to enhance students' understanding of the law. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Beijing-backed newspaper Wen Wei Po, published on Wednesday, Secretary for Education Christine Choi said that Hong Kong should be the first line of defence against what she called 'soft resistance' – a term used by government officials since 2021 without a clear definition. Choi said that the EDB had issued 'clear guidelines' to schools, including ordering them to conduct background checks on external organisations to ensure there were no 'anti-China disruptors' and to review their own off-campus activities and books to prevent the proliferation of 'illegal and harmful information'. Choi did not spell out those vetting guidelines or provide examples of partner organisations that were off-limits to schools for national security reasons. HKFP has reached out to the EDB and the US consulate for comment. The education chief also appeared to take aim at Edu Lancet. Without naming the page, she accused it of exaggerating safety concerns about Hong Kong schools' study tours in mainland China. Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong's mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
