‘Police should help teachers avoid breaking NSL’

National security police should give teachers information on how to teach the revamped Liberal Studies subject without breaking the law, according to a history professor in charge of reforming the curriculum.

Lau Chi-pang, who chairs a Curriculum Development Council committee on the Citizenship and Social Development subject, made the suggestion after speaking on a radio show on Saturday.

Asked about teachers’ concerns about violating the law when they cover social topics, Professor Lau said teachers have the professional expertise to know how to teach the new secondary school subject.

But he said he hopes the national security police can provide some public education, like the Independent Commission Against Corruption did, to help people understand how to carry out their work within the boundaries of the law.

“I would encourage teachers to take a look at the national security law itself, which is not that bulky a text. And then, of course, we encourage our national security experts to provide information about what to do and what not to do. We are waiting for that,” he said.

Professor Lau also brushed off concerns from teachers that there isn’t enough time to prepare for the subject’s launch in September for Form 4 students.

He said authorities are working hard to prepare related materials, and he believes teachers will feel less stressed when sample exam papers are later released.

“This is not an entirely new subject. This is a revision of the existing Liberal Studies subject. We have textbooks and all these teaching materials that are suitable for the current Liberal Studies [subject]. Teachers can extract from these existing teaching materials and textbooks to apply to this Citizenship and Social Development subject,” he said.

The Liberal Studies subject was widely criticised by pro-government figures for inciting students to join anti-government protests in 2019.

After the revamp, students will be taught the constitutional relationship between the SAR and the nation and the safeguarding of national security, among other things.