CE Refuses To Expand On Her School 'poison' Claim

Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Tuesday batted off questions over her allegation this week that some teachers are "poisoning" children with biased views in school lessons, and refused to give an indication of any plans for changes to the controversial liberal studies subject.

Appearing before the media before going into this week's Executive Council meeting, the first question for Lam was whether she has any proof for her claim that some teachers are spreading "false and biased information" in schools.

But she didn't directly answer the question and also sidestepped a question on whether she believes liberal studies is to blame for the many thousands of young people taking to the streets to protest since last summer.

But the CE reiterated remarks she had made in a Ta Kung Pao newspaper interview on Monday that teachers, headteachers and school sponsoring bodies must act as "gate keepers" and it's their job to instil "proper character" in pupils.

She berated a reporter for suggesting that liberal studies is to be "overhauled" and said the subject is merely being reviewed.

Lam said a task force is still looking at liberal studies and it will submit a report to the Education Bureau later this year.

"The most talked about subject is liberal studies. Because this subject, unlike English, Chinese or mathematics, was introduced 10 years ago and there have been a lot of discussions on whether it should have a curriculum, whether there should be textbooks and how it should be taught in schools and so on," Lam said.

"I'm waiting for the task force to submit a report to the government and then we will decide the way forward."

The administration of former Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa introduced liberal studies into the city's secondary schools, and the Education Bureau previously said it is to "prepare students for life".

But Tung and others critics have since claimed that the subject has turned young people into protesters and is partly to blame for the unrest that has rocked Hong Kong since last June.