The Education Bureau (EDB) issued a circular memorandum to all secondary schools (excluding English Schools Foundation schools and international schools) today (May 24) to announce the Revised Curriculum Frameworks of Junior Secondary Chinese History (Secondary 1-3) and History (Secondary 1-3).
The revised curriculum frameworks will be implemented progressively in all of these schools, starting from Secondary 1 in September 2020 at the earliest.
An EDB spokesman said, "The revised curriculum frameworks aim at enhancing the learning and teaching of the two History subjects. Through strengthening enquiry learning and encouraging students to use various skills to study history both inside the classroom (for example, by engaging in co-operative group learning) and outside (for example, by taking field trips), students' interest in learning history will be raised."
The Revised Curriculum Framework of Chinese History (Secondary 1-3) divides Chinese history into nine "historical periods". The curriculum contents are structured around the "learning focuses" of the nine periods, with the aim of helping students develop a comprehensive and holistic understanding of Chinese historical development. The curriculum also subsumes elements of "Cultural Characteristics" and "Hong Kong Development" into different topics of these historical periods to be taught, so that students will learn Chinese historical development from political, cultural, social and other aspects, thus widening their perspective of history. In addition, the revised curriculum framework, by including elective and extended topics, provides a flexible structure to cater for the diverse learning needs of students and promote their self-directed learning capabilities.
The Revised Curriculum Framework of History (Secondary 1-3), which is designed in chronological order, is composed of 12 topics, with a particular theme suggested for each school year. The three-year curriculum helps students understand world development trends and their impact on the present day. In order to broaden students' international perspectives and enhance their understanding of other major civilisations of the world, the histories of civilisations and countries in other regions, such as the rise of Islamic civilisation and the founding and development of the United States, have been added to the revised curriculum. The revised curriculum framework is flexible, with foundation and extended parts for each topic, enabling schools to adapt the curriculum to their school contexts and students' diversity in abilities and interests.
Details of the revised curriculum frameworks of the two History subjects are available at the following web link: www.edb.gov.hk/en/curriculum-development/kla/pshe/whats-new.html.
The EDB hopes the revised curriculum frameworks of the two History subjects will enable students to study Chinese and world history and culture in a holistic and systematic manner and develop a sense of national identity, love for Hong Kong and international perspectives for coping with opportunities and challenges ahead.
The existing junior secondary curricula of the two History subjects have been implemented for over 20 years. In view of the need to renew the curriculum, and of students' learning needs, the Curriculum Development Council (CDC) endorsed the setting up of an Ad Hoc Committee for Revising Junior Secondary Chinese History and History Curricula (Secondary 1-3) in December 2013 to conduct a full review of the curricula of the two History subjects and make suggestions for revision. The Ad Hoc Committee adopted a multi-stage opinion-collection strategy to widely gather views from all schools and the professional sector in Hong Kong through various channels including feedback collection seminars, focus group meetings and two stages of consultation. After more than four years of professional discussion, the revised curriculum frameworks of the two History subjects have been generally well received by the education sector and endorsed by the CDC and accepted by the EDB.
The spokesman thanked the Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee, Professor Leung Yuen-sang of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and the Chairman of the Working Group on Revising Junior Secondary History Curriculum (Secondary 1-3), Professor Mak King-sang of the Hong Kong Baptist University, for leading the Ad Hoc Committee, as well as all committee members for their efforts and contributions over the years. Under the spirit of professional leadership, the Ad Hoc Committee has completed the revision of the curriculum frameworks of the two History subjects for the junior secondary level for the promotion of history education.
The spokesman said that since the 2016/17 school year, some schools had participated in the tryout of the revised Chinese History and History curricula. The EDB will continue to collaborate with the tryout schools, tertiary institutes and different scholars and experts to produce diversified teaching resources; provide systematic teacher training courses and history study tours for teachers; further strengthen teachers' networks to promote teachers' professional experience sharing; and conduct various student activities on history and culture. Through adopting diversified strategies and continued collaboration with schools and the education sector, the EDB aims to strengthen the learning and teaching of the two History subjects for the benefit of students.
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