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HONG KONG EDUCATION DEPARTMENT

The new education guidelines were announced late on Thursday

Children as young as six are to learn about crimes under Hong Kong's
national security law. Features
Schools will be asked to monitor children's behaviour and report any support
for the pro-democracy movement, as part of new education rules.

The national security law was imposed last June with Beijing arguing it was
needed to tackle unrest linked to pro-democracy protests in the city.

Thousands of children became involved in the protests.

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Hong Kong's education bureau released the guidelines late on Thursday along
with an animated video that explains to students what the national security
law is.

The law criminalises secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces
with the maximum sentence life in prison. Asia leads way in Earthshot
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The video, featuring an owl and two students, explains that the national
security law has been enacted "for the sake of Hong Kong's continuous
development and long-term prosperity".

"We all know Hong Kong is an inalienable part of our country," it tells
students.

Primary school students will also be taught how to sing and respect the
national anthem and learn about how the People's Liberation Army protects
Hong Kong. Older students will learn about the limits of Hong Kong's rights
and freedoms. 'Tourists are rethinking their
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The national security law will also be incorporated into other subjects such as
geography and biology.

Schools are required to stop students and teachers from singing specific songs
- a nod to a trend in schools last year where children would drown out the
Chinese national anthem with protest songs.

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The new guidelines have been criticised by Tin Fong-Chak, vice-president of

the Hong Kong Professional Teachers Union.

Mr Tin told the Financial Times newspaper that the guidelines were
"extremely meticulous".

"The government basically does not trust schools. These measures will destroy
the teacher-student relationship," he said.

Poland's LGBT community

Hong Kong's national security law at a hopeful era of hate speech is
over
glance
Hong Kong has had a high degree of autonomy since it was returned from
British to Chinese rule in 1997, and its residents have had a far higher level of
freedom of speech and media than people on the mainland.

But the new law's key provisions include that crimes of secession, subversion,
terrorism and collusion with foreign forces are punishable by a maximum
sentence of life in prison.

It makes it easier to punish protesters, and reduces Hong Kong's autonomy. Jelling Stone: Scan reveals
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The law also gives Beijing powers to shape life in the former British colony in a
way it never has before.

Critics say it effectively curtails protest and freedom of speech. China has said
the new law will return stability to the territory aer a year of unrest.

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Hong Kong security law: The BBC's Stephen McDonell explains what it means, and what people
there think

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