Panels propose new name for liberal studies

Panels advising the Education Bureau have proposed that it rename the liberal studies subject as “Citizenship and Social Development”.

The proposals came after the Education Bureau announced in November last year that it would introduce sweeping changes to the secondary school subject, which has been blamed by many pro-Beijing figures for the city’s social unrest in 2019.

In a statement, the Curriculum Development Council and the Examinations and Assessment Authority’s Public Examinations Board said the core content of the curriculum would cover three themes: Hong Kong, the nation and the contemporary world, down from six modules in the current curriculum.

Critics have said the revamp would put a heavy emphasis on national education.

The statement also said while the subject would remain compulsory for public assessment, the school-based assessment component – which requires students to carry out their own research – would be removed.

The panels said students would be given opportunities to study on the mainland.

The chairman of Curriculum Development Council, Professor Tam Kar-yan, said there has been an active response to the proposals from the school sector.

“I firmly believe that school leaders would handle (the changes) properly upon the implementation of the optimising proposals, which could ease students’ examination stress and bring benefits to all students,” he said.

The Curriculum Development Council said it hopes that the Education Bureau will accept the recommendations soon, so they can be implemented for form four students in the next school year while others continue to follow the current curriculum.