Students Lament Liberal Studies Revamp Ahead Of Exam

Students sitting this year's liberal studies DSE exam said on Monday that they felt lucky to have been taught the subject before it is given an overhaul.

A student surnamed Chui told RTHK that the curriculum had taught him critical thinking. He said it's a pity that liberal studies is being renamed "citizenship and social development" and will have three modules fewer from the next school year onwards.

Chui said he would avoid political questions in the paper, fearing they might be sensitive in the current social environment.

"But I think they will not set such questions, after the scrapping [of a question] in the history exam last year," he said, referring to a controversial question that asked pupils if Japan did more good than harm to China from 1900 to 1945.

Another student surnamed Ip, meanwhile, said he would answer sensitive questions with a "politically correct" approach.

"I believe there is a model answer to liberal studies questions... you have to write what the exam authority wants you to write, not your personal views."

The overhaul of liberal studies comes after pro-Beijing figures blamed the subject for the social unrest of 2019.