​The Education Bureau (EDB) held the 8th Basic Law cum the 25th Anniversary of Establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Territory-wide Inter-school Competition Kick-off cum Books Giving Ceremony today (January 5) and issued a circular memorandum to all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong, encouraging more participation of schools and students as well as promoting national education in schools.
A spokesman for the EDB said, "The EDB has always attached great importance to the promotion of Basic Law education through diversified and ongoing measures, such as curriculum enrichment, teacher training, teaching resources and student activities. To celebrate the major milestone of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the HKSAR, this year's competition questions surround the historical developments and achievements since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the constitutional relationship between our country and the HKSAR and the development of Hong Kong since its handover to the motherland with a view to enhancing students' sense of belonging to our country and their sense of national identity."
Addressing the ceremony, the Secretary for Education, Mr Kevin Yeung, said he was thankful for the continuous support from Joint Publishing (Hong Kong) and expressed gratitude to Bauhinia Magazine for joining as a supporting organisation and donating a reader titled "National Laws Applicable to HKSAR: A Student Guide" to all primary and secondary schools offering local curriculum in Hong Kong for their reference.
Moreover, Mr Yeung received on behalf of schools the reader donated by Bauhinia Magazine and distributed the reader to the representatives of school councils and school heads' associations. Mr Yeung said that the reader can be used as reading material for the preparation of the competition this year. School principals are also encouraged to make good use of the reader to promote national education in schools.
The reader covers areas such as the Constitution, the Basic Law and the National Security Law, enabling students to deepen their understanding of the inseparable relationship between the country and the HKSAR, and to develop a sense of social responsibility and national identity and an affection for Hong Kong as well as to widen their international perspectives.
The territory-wide inter-school Basic Law competition consists of primary and secondary sections. Schools are encouraged to submit their entry form from January 10 to 21 via the website of Hong Kong Education City (www.edcity.hk/basiclaw/reg). The heats will be carried out in the form of an online competition from February 14 to 21. To encourage more participation of schools, the heats will include the Most Active Participation Award and the District Outstanding School Award. The Final will be conducted in June with awards including First, Second and Third prizes and two Honourable Mentions for each section. Positions will be determined by scores in the Final. The Best Live Cheering Award will also be awarded to the school whose cheering team performs the best in the Final. For details of the competition, please visit the National Education One-stop Portal (www.edb.gov.hk/en/neosp).
Other participants at the ceremony included the Permanent Secretary for Education, Ms Michelle Li; Member of the Board of Bauhinia Culture Group Mr Wu Baoan; the Managing Director of Joint Publishing (Hong Kong), Ms Janice Yip; and representatives of school councils and principals' associations.
Apart from the competition, there will be side programmes, such as school-based programmes co-ordinated by Basic Law Student Ambassadors. Details will be announced under "What's New" on the National Education One-stop Portal in due course.
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