HK edu bureau stresses continuous improvements for local liberal studies book

“Improvements” have been made to the public health section of Hong Kong liberal studies teaching materials published by Aristo Educational Press, which has been criticized for containing obsolete and biased content.

The public health section of the Hong Kong liberal studies teaching materials published by Aristo have recently come under fire for allegedly tarnishing the mainland’s image with obsolete and biased content, drawing widespread criticism from the parents of local students.

The 2020 Aristo-published liberal studies materials contained groundless accusations against the mainland, such as black market organ trading. The books also used cartoon images to exaggerate food security problems in the mainland.

Wun Siu-lun, an official with the Education Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, responded Tuesday to the Global Times that “improvements”

had been made to the content of the Aristo published textbooks in question.

Through consultations, the Hong Kong education regulator offered advice for improvements, the statement noted, while explaining that specific revisions to the content, including text and pictures in the teaching materials, would be determined by the publishers.

The city education regulator stressed that although such revisions have been made, publishers still bear the responsibility to continue examining and constantly optimize book content to ensure the materials are correct, objective and balanced.

Former HKSAR government chief executive Tung Chee-hwa said in August 2019, when the city was haunted by riots and social unrest, that it was misleading content in the liberal studies curriculum that caused widespread misunderstanding and even hostility to the Chinese mainland among Hong Kong youths, and such content had also led to confusion in their awareness of their identity.

It was misleading content in the liberal studies curriculum that caused widespread misunderstanding and even hostility to the Chinese mainland among Hong Kong youths, former HK official said.