Discussions on "Protests against national education"

Bob Choi & Others

4 October 2012

Bob: I don't know how many of us are paying attention to the recent sit-in and hunger strikes in protest against national education in Hong Kong. The movement seems to have picked up steam despite of the government holding firm on their initiative. While I understand national education will come to Hong Kong only as a matter of time, my fundamental concern is that we must make a distinction between national education and party education: the former is learning about China as a nation, as a people in an objective context; the latter is learning about the communist party and its doctrines and its role in shaping China. As long as the communist party is synonymous with "China" under its one-party rule, I don't see how we can differentiate between the two and teach our children about China in an objective manner while Big Brother is watching over our shoulders. To believe otherwise is not only foolish but dangerous. Please, please just look at all the political prisoners held by the government todate.

Tim: I agree to what Bob said. Students in the primary/junior stage has no/little ability on understanding political things except to absorb. There are a lot to be read and be understood. Sometimes, people may be misled to believe on something that you understand , in fact, you know little/none. I am against for minor to have this kind of education as they don’t have the ability to judge and to search for more information. News agency has the self regulated rules on selection of news and recently the editors of SCMP argued with Chief Editor on mainland China news and the contracts on some of them are not renewed.

I do not want to pull the leg of our mate Peter Tsang (hereinafter called ’Peter’). What he did at that time may be right and I would also agree that this right . He was misled to go too far beyond to what he understand. We now discussed the cause and effect of that riot. My eldest brother is an sample for me and in 1949. He was among those universities graduates to believe what will be new China. Later, he observed too much and suffered too much.

Beijing keep the promise of “ 50 years unchanged” but they never say that new things must be added and there is evolution too when they change the environment. Right from the start, they want to shape HK as one of China city and the outlook of HK as an international city for culture and trade is doomed. They deviate from the thoughts of Premier Tang.

It is why Bishop Chan made a hunger strike some months ago when there are changes and he foresee the coming policies. People are only aware of real meaning national education when they see the contents. It is why people strike for abortion of national education policy without asking for the amending the syllabus.

Peter: Tim, I really feel delighted to your positive comment of what I have done in year 1967. I was dismissed from school after I have completed my F.4 study, due to reason(s) unknown, at least not known to me. At that time, I did feel great regret of leaving my schoolmates & I kept on asking myself of what wrong I have done in school. May be I have openly expressed my love towards mainland China or may be I have said something against the UK Government of their colonial governance in Hong Kong.

Democracy, by that time, I believe never exist. Governor of HK & Directors of all Depts. were headed by English personnels as appointed by the UK government. HK is one of the UK colony & not until 1997, HK then, return back to mainland China. I have sealed my lips & never disclose my past encounter during my secondary school study but now, I have retired from my Nursing Profession, working in public hospitals & I have nil restrain in recalling my ‘history’ for our new generation to take references. Having been nurse teacher for ten years in HK, my students are extremely astonished to know that their teacher (Tsang sir) has been in prison in HK. They return me e-mails & offer me compliments & encouragement !

No matter where we are, should our parents are Chinese, we are then born to be Chinese ! Despite of whichever party is on the throne, China is always the country which all Chinese should love. Patriotic refer to love, by the people to their own country. This is suppose to be a strong sense of belonging as far as nationality is concern. Before 1997, we call ourselves Hong Kong Chinese, now we are proud to say ; I am a Chinese. Other than HK & Macau, Peking has rendered their best effort & patience in negotiation with Taiwan officials. Hoping one day some day, to follow samples like Germany without walls between east & west, like Vietnam without north & south.

Back to HK, whether one country two system is practicing effectively & efficiently will depends greatly the mutual understanding & acceptance between Peking government & the HK people. This is entirely not easy as never ever in this planet, we have samples to follow. The recent dispute concerning national education as initiated by the government has destructed the harmony atmosphere that we HK people are eager to build. Our schoolboys & girls are very furious & I believe they might have been misled, like me when I was 16, a F.4 student in 1967. Talking about Brain Wash, I hope I have not offend religious believers, because in a certain extend, it is also a kind of Brain Wash. Ever since my son has declared himself as Christian, I can feel that his love & respect towards his parents has reduced. His success in career & having family of his own he claimed, is a great gift from Jesus ! Bottom from my heart, I feel saddened.

Anyway, we are not young anymore & I am here, whole heartedly wishing you all of having a very happy & joyful retire life !

Let’s keep our fingers cross & pray for a better & peaceful future, not only in HK but everywhere in this wonderful world !

Tim: Peter,there is too much things to be talked here and I just want to add something to your words.

To my son’s behavior, I do have some strange things as you have when my son become a Christian. However, he still follows the family tradition and culture and he respects the elders ( I can see this from my elder brothers’ comment on him). This should be the result of my parents’ way of teaching him when he was a child. It is why I said minor/junior has to shaped/brain washed in the blooming stage. I recommend to my son that he should consult with my elder brother in my absence and he follows. It is normal that he may argues with his uncles for his own ideas and he understands the virtue of family warmth. land reform and changes in the 50s’ and Cultural revolution in 60’s hurts much.

All religion ( cult too) are in brain wash mode and good religions direct you to kindness and to judge in the position of their God. I am brain washed too in the teaching of Confucius. Before taking P.5 in NMC, I graduated from a right wing Chinese primary school. My family members are either in right wing or left wing idea or just patriotic. For religion, they are Buddhist , Christian and Catholic and my two cousins are preacher. They have family love. My eldest sister, a Catholic, gave me a small Buddha statue brought back from her Thailand tour. This is not a souvenirs as I was in high fever for almost a week and my wife and my parents were in great worry on me.

This is what I feel with religion.

In regards to your act in 1967, Wong Man Yin and Charles Chan may not have mentioned that they were nearly expelled as yourself from NMC until they had teacher’s guarantee to Mrs. Lo. I would say that Left Wing would like to mingle themselves with youth to comment on society , social problem and political things. It is why my eldest brother believed a new China in 1949. He is patriotic though he got disappointed to the government. Denny seems to behave as you in political things and in fact, he only criticize the social problem with no intention to relate to political structure and NMC misinterpret his sayings.

We are loyal to our country and we trust a good government. ( Now, being a Canadian, I only love China and be loyal to Canada)

Metis: Peter,你說得真好！我同意。

雖然身在海外,在英國住了半生,拿的是英國護照,我仍覺得自己是不析不朽的中國人,不可以因為不喜歡現在的政府或共產黨而放棄自己的國籍,這和不認自已的父母無異。

這一次在香港,適逢國民教育的爭議,從傳謀的報導,我感到很多香港人己被兩份報章「洗腦」。其實反對的學生,家長及大眾,有多少人真真正正有看過德育及國民教育的課程內容？他們知道的是蘋果日報和明報已過濾過的,不中肯的報導。在港兩星期,我和不少中學,小學教師,校長及大學講師、教授談及德育及國民教育的問題,沒有一個人說應該撤科,多數意見是應該重新討論怎樣編排適當的教學內容。

近來,有兩件事件使我覺得香港年青人有必要接受國民教育。第一是香港人對釣魚台問題的冷淡反應, 為什麼沒有一個80後出來抗議日本買釣魚台? 在1970年9月10日美日達成協議把琉球及釣魚島交予日本, 香港青年在三個月後在日本駐港領事館前舉行第一次示威,緊接著是一九七一年二月二十日大學生參與示威。原因也許是現在的初中教育,已沒有「中國歷史」這個科目,而釣魚台問題與港人鼓吹的個人主義,個人自由離得太遠了,燒不到自己的,不用想了。

第二件事是上週末在上水反對水貨客示威時,有人舉起「中國人滾回中國」的標語,更有人舉起疑似回歸前的港英旗幟。這意味著有人借對水客不滿的情緒,挑動香港與內地的矛盾,難道香港人不是中國人？

C.C.: As a mainland China-born "Oversea Chinese" living in the US most of my life but traveled extensively to mainland China and witnessed its dramatic political and economical transformations personally every year since 1985,I agree with both Peter Tsang and Metis.Well said!

- To be continued -