We Won't Let Children Be 'poisoned', Says Carrie Lam

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Monday that some people are feeding schoolchildren in the city "false and biased information" and it's important to protect students from being "poisoned".

In an exclusive interview with the pro-Beijing Ta Kung Pao newspaper, Lam said she is concerned that some subjects, such as liberal studies, could be "penetrated".

She said the government will announce later this year how it plans to manage the teaching of liberal studies.

While many credit the subject with helping young people to develop critical thinking skills, it's also come in for fierce criticism from those who say the lessons have radicalised students, with links being made to the ongoing social unrest in the city.

Lam said education must not be left unregulated and problems must be dealt with as they arise.

As well as the Education Bureau, the management and sponsoring bodies of schools must also serve as gate keepers, the CE said.

In the newspaper interview Lam also panned the city's district councils, which have been dominated by the pro-democracy camp since last November's elections.

She said since the polls, the councils have achieved nothing because all members do is criticise the government and the police.

Lam said she supports district officers and their staff in their walk-outs from council meetings, as they have been "maliciously attacked”.

On the Covid-19 crisis, the CE revealed that her administration is in talks with mainland and Macau authorities about lifting some of the travelling restrictions in the area.

She said she hopes an agreement can be reached by the end of this month to allow frequent travellers to move between the SARs and Guangdong without having to undergo mandatory quarantine.