Cultivating students’ moral and national qualities has always been one of the main objectives of school education in Hong Kong. Since the return of sovereignty, promoting national education and enhancing students’ understanding of their country and national identity have become a common goal of primary and secondary schools. Moral and Civic Education (MCE) was made one of the Four Key Tasks in the curriculum reform undertaken by the Education and Manpower Bureau (Education Bureau) in 2001. To develop students’ positive values and attitudes has become an integral part of the curriculum framework for primary and secondary schools since then.
In response to growing calls for enhancing the moral and national qualities of our youth, the Education Bureau (EDB) introduced the “Revised Moral and Civic Education Curriculum Framework” in 2008 and the contents of national education in relevant Key Learning Areas (KLAs) and subjects were enriched to strengthen the implementation of moral and national education.
A considerable number of primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong have been actively promoting moral and national education. Apart from classroom learning and teaching, elements of MNE are also incorporated into related learning experiences/activities such as Mainland exchange programmes, visits, service learning and project learning. Students are provided with comprehensive and diversified learning experiences so as to cultivate their moral and national qualities. Building on the above favourable conditions and strengths in the curriculum, the Chief Executive stated in the “Policy Address 2010-11” in October 2010 that the Curriculum Development Council (CDC) would be invited to review the curriculum framework of moral and civic education at primary and secondary levels. To strengthen national education, the “Moral and National Education” (MNE) subject would be introduced to cultivate students’ moral and national qualities in a systematic and sustainable manner.
The “Moral and National Education Curriculum Guide (Primary 1 to Secondary 6)”, prepared by the CDC of Hong Kong, sets out the aims and rationale of the curriculum and illustrates the curriculum framework, curriculum planning, learning and teaching, assessments and the use of learning and teaching resources to assist teachers in their preparation and implementation of this subject. The CDC of Hong Kong is an advisory body for the HKSAR Government on matters relating to curriculum development from pre-primary to senior secondary levels. Its members include school heads/principals, in-service teachers, parents, employers, and scholars in post-secondary institutions, professionals from relevant sectors or organisations, representatives from the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority and the Vocational Training Council of Hong Kong, and personnel of relevant departments of the EDB.