Hong Kong’s public universities should reflect national security law in curricula by new academic year, be ready to ‘suppress’ acts that violate it: education minister

Kevin Yeung’s remarks to lawmakers follow Beijing official’s public push for patriotic education and Chinese University cutting ties with student union

Legco told a level of flexibility should be allowed around research of hot-button topics such as Tibet, but universities must still obey the law

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Graduates of Chinese University march in November calling for 12 Hongkongers detained on the mainland to be returned. Photo: K. Y. Cheng

Published: 3:31pm, 5 Mar 2021Updated: 6:58pm, 5 Mar 2021

Hong Kong’s universities will be expected to change their curricula to reflect the new national security law by the coming academic year and be prepared to help “prevent and suppress” acts that could violate the legislation, the education minister has said.

Kevin Yeung Yun-hung’s Friday remarks followed a top Beijing official this week highlighting the need for patriotic education for the city’s youth, and Chinese University effectively cutting ties with its student union over national security concerns.

Yeung, who has met the heads of the city’s publicly funded universities since the security law was imposed last June, told lawmakers that universities could consider conducting national security education via courses and seminars.

Secretary for Education Kevin Yeung told lawmakers on Friday he was monitoring university compliance with new national security law guidelines. Photo: Nora Tam

“All schools must follow the law. We are currently discussing with [universities] what they have been doing under the legislation, and whether it meets our expectations and requirements,” the secretary for education said at a Legislative Council meeting.

Under the legislation, universities and schools are required to promote national security education. Yeung said universities must also be able to prevent and suppress any violations of national security on campus.

Although institutions would be given some flexibility in adding national security law elements in their syllabus, Yeung said officials were reviewing their plans.