Teachers give a lecture to students at Wong Cho Bau School in Hong Kong, on Sept 2, 2019. (QIN QING / XINHUA)

The Education Bureau on Tuesday sent out a questionnaire to senior sec­ondary schools, seeking their views on reforming four core subjects, including liberal studies, which is blamed by some for the mass participation of stu­dents in the 2019 social unrest. 

The move came after Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet­-ngor in her fourth Policy Address highlighted the need to reform liberal studies and unveiled detailed reform directions. 

In a questionnaire, the authorities proposed streamlining and optimiz­ing Chinese, English, math, and lib­eral studies to reduce pressure on students and cater to diversified learning needs. 

In terms of liberal studies, it took note of the need to strengthen stu­dents’ national identity and their understanding of China through in­-depth learning of the nation’s Con­stitution and the HKSAR’s Basic Law, and more exchange opportunities to the Chinese mainland

In terms of liberal studies, it took note of the need to strengthen stu­dents’ national identity and their understanding of China through in­-depth learning of the nation’s Con­stitution and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s Basic Law, and more exchange opportunities to the Chinese mainland. 

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The bureau also proposed renam­ing the subject to better fit its curric­ulum goal and cut the curriculum content by half to save time for other learning purposes. 

It estimated that about 250 hours in regular classes can be saved after the optimization of the four subjects. Stu­dents can use that time to study other elective courses or join learning activi­ties to develop personal interests. 

The bureau will submit the collat­ed views to related committees after one month. If adopted, the reform plan will be implemented among students higher than Secondary Four within the 2021 school year, according to the statement. 

In recent years, many have criti­cized liberal studies as being increas­ingly biased and politicalized, which was reflected in the content taught by teachers in classes, shown in text­ books and in exam questions. Some also blamed the subject as one of the reasons for the mass participation of students in the 2019 social unrest. 

READ MORE: HK education chief reveals major changes to liberal studies

Tang Fei, principal of Heung To Secondary School in Tseung Kwan O, said he supports the proposal to shorten the total lesson time and delete some unnecessary content related to self­-development. 

The optimized content and curricu­lum structure should also have a focus to help students have a better under­ standing of the implementation of the “one country, two systems” policy in Hong Kong, said Tang, who is also a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies. 

Tang suggested the bureau pro­vide schools with concrete material, such as teaching outlines and sup­plementary materials, on topics that the course needs to touch on. “These materials will be exemplar so that teachers could know how deep they can go in their classes,” Tang said. 

He also suggested mainland tours should provide students more oppor­tunities to know about the country’s latest development, such as high­ tech, national-level programs, and visit places that tourists cannot visit. 

gangwen@mail.chinadaily.com.cn