Hong Kong: Under the new law in Hong Kong, now the Chinese flag will be hoisted in private schools. Also, children will have to sing the Chinese national anthem. Experts have called this law dangerous. He has said that with this an attempt is being made to increase the feeling of attachment towards China in the children. The Voice of America (VOA) of America, quoting a government statement, said that the purpose of this new policy is to promote national education and develop national spirit among students. The statement said that through the rules related to the national anthem, the student’s attachment to the Chinese people and the national spirit will be increased.
Beginning next year in Hong Kong, all private kindergartens, primary and secondary schools will have to display the national flag every school day and hold a flag-hoisting ceremony along with singing the national anthem once a week. This mandate was announced after the enactment of the National Anthem Ordinance in June this year. Under this new rule, any activity to ‘insult’ the national anthem or flag will be considered an offense, and the person doing so will be punished. Through this, the government’s effort is to suppress the voice of those who oppose China’s atrocities and strengthen their grip.
Both students and teachers are opposing this new policy. They say that they will just stand and will not sing the national anthem. A teacher said, ‘Singing the national anthem is not that important, it is just a tradition. Do you think students will become pro-China by singing the national anthem? He has said, ‘This policy … is the beginning of an attempt to make them (students) Chinese citizens in the Chinese nation.’
Curie said, ‘It is very similar to what happened in Eastern Europe after the Second World War. Then the youth of the countries which the Soviet Union had occupied, started making them communist. It is a form of a soft sermon, which begins with things like asking children to adopt the flag and the national anthem. After this Marxism, Leninism, Maoism will be included in the syllabus.
