教育局昨日向學校發出通函，公布優化高中中國歷史科及歷史科課程框架。這是落實行政長官李家超近年施政報告中強化歷史教育和愛國主義教育的重要舉措，有助於學生全面正確認識歷史，樹立國民意識及國家觀念，強化對國家民族的使命感和責任心。
中史科及歷史科一直肩負讓學生正確認識歷史、培養國民身份認同及家國情懷的重任。然而，香港回歸以來歷史科長期不受重視，教科書的部分內容也偏頗，着重以西方角度看待中國史和世界史，內容碎片化，忽略了內地現代化成就和對改革開放的深入探討。不少學生對重大歷史事件如抗日戰爭的了解停留於表面，例如對東江縱隊堅持抗戰所知甚少。加上部分老師本身的政治立場有問題，長期耳濡目染之下，導致一些學生對歷史了解片面甚至錯誤，產生身份認同的混亂，對國家民族的認同感偏低，這是香港在一段時期社會動盪的一個重要原因。
痛定思痛，加強歷史尤其是中史教育成為香港社會的共識。行政長官多次在施政報告中提到要強化歷史教育，作為愛國主義教育的重要內容。今次的課程改革正好補上這一課。根據最新課程框架，中史科由「中國古代史」和「中國現代史」兩部分組成，現代史新增了「中國共產黨成立」、「中國特色社會主義新時代」等內容，這樣的內容增補是完全必要的。
中國共產黨成立是開天闢地的大事件，深刻改變了近代以後中華民族發展的方向和進程，深刻改變了中國人民和中華民族的前途和命運，深刻改變了世界發展的趨勢和格局，也深刻改變了香港的發展進程。香港回歸祖國後實行「一國兩制」，長期保持繁榮穩定，如今進入「愛國者治港」新階段，都是在中國共產黨領導下實現的。作為香港特區的學生，不能不了解中國共產黨的發展史，不能不理解中國共產黨以推動國家獨立、民族解放、中華民族偉大復興為使命，以「為人民服務」為宗旨的偉大信念。理解了中國共產黨，就掌握了理解當代中國的脈絡，進而產生國家歸屬感和民族自豪感，自覺將個人事業與國家發展、民族前途緊密聯繫在一起。
香港的明天，需要有根有魂的年輕一代。高中中史科與歷史科課程的優化意義重大，不僅補上了中國歷史教育的課，更在培養國家認同上發揮重要作用。當香港青年善於從歷史中汲取智慧，他們將成為連結香港與祖國的橋樑，成為中華民族偉大復興的見證人、參與者和貢獻者。
節錄自《大公報》 2025年10月4日社評
Optimising History Education, Deepening Patriotic Sentiment
Yesterday, the Education Bureau issued a syllabus to schools announcing refinements to the senior secondary curriculum frameworks for Chinese History and History subjects. The move represents an important step in delivering on Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu's recent Policy Address pledges to strengthen history education and patriotic education. It is intended to help students gain a comprehensive and accurate understanding of history, foster national consciousness and a sense of nationhood, and reinforce their sense of mission and responsibility toward the country and the Chinese nation.
Chinese History and History subjects have long borne the responsibility of giving students a correct understanding of the past and nurturing a sense of national identity and attachment to the country. Yet since the handover, the History subject has been chronically undervalued in Hong Kong, and parts of the textbooks have been skewed - overly privileging Western lenses in interpreting Chinese and world history, presenting material in a fragmented way, and overlooking the mainland's modernisation achievements and a deeper examination of reform and opening up. As a result, many students' grasp of major historical events, such as the War of Resistance against Japan, remains superficial; the steadfast resistance of the Dongjiang (East River) Column (東江縱隊), for instance, is scarcely known. Compounding matters, some teachers' own political stances have been problematic. Prolonged exposure to such influences has left certain students with partial or even erroneous understandings of history, sowed confusion about identity, and dampened identification with the country and the Chinese nation - an important factor behind the period of social unrest Hong Kong experienced.
Drawing a lesson from the bitter experience, strengthening history education - especially Chinese History - has become a consensus in Hong Kong society. The Chief Executive has repeatedly mentioned in the Policy Address the need to reinforce history education as an important component of patriotic education. This round of curriculum reform precisely fills that gap. Under the latest curriculum framework, the Chinese History subject consists of two parts: Ancient Chinese History and Modern Chinese History. The modern history section has added content such as the founding of the Communist Party of China and the"New Era of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics." Such additions are entirely necessary.
The founding of the Communist Party of China was an epoch-making event that profoundly changed the course of modern Chinese development, profoundly altered the future and destiny of the Chinese people and nation, profoundly reshaped global development trends and the international landscape, and profoundly influenced Hong Kong's trajectory. After Hong Kong's return to the motherland, the policy of"one country, two systems" was implemented, ensuring long-term prosperity and stability; today it has entered a new stage of"patriots administering Hong Kong," all achieved under the leadership of the Communist Party of China.
For students in the Hong Kong SAR, ignorance of the Communist Party of China's development is not an option, nor can we overlook its core conviction: making national independence, national liberation, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation its mission, and"serving the people" its guiding purpose. To understand the CPC is to grasp the throughline of contemporary China—an understanding that nurtures a sense of national belonging and pride, and inspires us to consciously align our personal pursuits with the country's development and the nation's future.
Hong Kong's tomorrow depends on rooted, spirited youth. The revamped senior-secondary Chinese History and History syllabus fill gaps, refine content, and help build national identity. Youth who learn from history will link Hong Kong with the motherland - and bear witness to, participate in the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
