HK education system 'must learn from motherland'

Choi Wong Ling-ling, a national political adviser from Hong Kong, said on Wednesday that special administrative region's education system must learn from the motherland.

Before its return to China, there was no national education in Hong Kong, and many children had little knowledge of patriotic education, said the member of the 13th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

The traumatic protests in 2019 highlighted that there is a severe problem in Hong Kong's education. Young people misunderstand the motherland and resist the administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, she said.

According to her, in Hong Kong, many schools only hold flag-raising ceremonies on certain days, such as the National Day on Oct 1, leading to a limited understanding among teachers and students.

The Association of Hong Kong Flag-guards, is a charity group that trains students in Hong Kong how to raise the national flag and sing the national anthem.

"When I became president of the association, about 200 schools joined the training program, and now the number has grown to more than 500," she said.

"Every morning when students see the five-starred red flag rising high above the playground, they feel proud of being Chinese," she added.

Every year, the association holds a flag-raising competition inviting schools to participate. Soldiers in the People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison provide tutoring to students to improve their patriotism, she said.

Hong Kong is an inalienable part of the motherland. The principle of "patriots governing Hong Kong" is a consensus now in Hong Kong society, she said.

"I hope the students in Hong Kong will be committed to the society, contribute to the motherland and have feelings for the Hong Kong society. They must be proud of our country and win glory for it," she added.