我對香港國民教育的了解

香港政府推行國民教育，引起不少爭議﹐事件己提升至勝負之爭﹐檯面的理據已經越來越沒關係。這場鬥爭不斷升溫﹐我認為政府不會贏﹐立刻撤回政策似是最佳選擇。

國民教育

香港政府推行國民教育，引起不少爭議，反對人士組成「民間反對國民教育科大聯 盟」，其中包括由學生主持的「學民思潮」和由家長組成的「國民教育家長關注組」。
政府發放的教材，主要內容是教育國民積極人生、多元化思考、認識國家結構，合 理之至，並無不妥。

爭議焦點

爭議焦點是教材極度推崇共產黨，要求學生愛中國，「以做中國人為禜」，「看見 國旗升起時感情激動」等等。
將偏頗言論混入正面教材，很容易令人懷疑整個國民教育的意圖，加上有些維護國 民教育的人公開支持「冼腦」及「愛國教育」，更令巿民對國民教育起疑。 這些支持者其實是幫倒忙﹕

• 「洗腦」是不擇手段，通常是透過重覆、瞞騙、誤導等手段，灌輸一些信念給別 人。這是宣傳，不是教育。支持洗腦的人說外國也有洗腦教育，即使如此，也難說 服大家洗腦是好的教育。 英國學校會告訴學生毒品的害處﹐不會叫學生不要吸毒﹐這是尊重學生判斷能力﹐ 比洗腦文明。
• 「愛國教育」一詞本身亦有問題，愛是感情，有則有、無則無，如果「愛國」是教 學目標，讀完課程仍不愛國的學生，理應納入「不及格」之列。為求合格，學生只 有裝作愛國，但口是心非，決不是可取的國民質素，當然不能列為教學目標。

即使是一個好政策，在民意沸騰的情況下，也不能推行，更何況明顯有偏頗的政策。

相方爭持

教育局長吳克儉上任之初，也承認為國民教育指引內容有偏頗，但翌日改變口風，認為問題 不大。這表現令人懷疑香港政府受制於幕後主腦。
特首梁振英說在沒有「撤銷」或「不撤銷」的前提下，所有內容都可以商量，這個 說法本來甚為合理。但反對人士既已懷疑政府的動機，合理言論亦難被接受。
政府成立了一個委員會，檢討國民教育政策，由頗有公信力的前平等機會委員會主 席胡紅玉主持，並邀請反對派人士參加，但遭反對派人士拒絕，理由是委員會絕大 多數成員都是政策支持者，只有四五個反對人士代表，檢討結果幾可預測。
反對派拒絕參與談判，原因是不信任政府有談判誠意。其實政府如果真的有誠意檢 討政策，大可以擴大委員會，容納半數支持、半數反對人士。

政府宜立刻退讓

反對人士正在佔領政府總部，而且不斷有人參加絕食，運動得到上十萬人支持。絕食 把注碼增大，事件己提升至勝負之爭﹐檯面的理據已經越來越沒關係﹐討論範圍已 離開國民教育。
反對政策的人，覺得同被壓迫，所以互相支持，感情每天增長﹐更不斷有老師﹐歌 星﹐藝人等聲援﹐聲勢日壯。
共產黨最明白群眾力量，勢不可擋。我不相信政府會贏這場鬥爭。立刻撤回政策， 當然有損政府威信，但長期的鬥﹐爭對政府威信損害更甚。這場鬥爭不難變成八九 民運﹑或阿拉伯茉莉花革命的開始。

Britain's Moral Makeover

Ian Hislop's Age of the Do-Gooders

TV programme broadcast on BBC Two, 9:00PM Mon, 29 Nov 2010
Summarized by Edward Tsang updated 2010.12.12

Every society needs some leaders with conscience. Some leaders significantly changed the British society to the better in Victorian time. Hislop called them Do-Gooders. This programme introduced the Do-Gooders. The way that Hislop introduced the, and strung them together shows his insight.

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William Wilberforce (1759-1833) urged citizen to improve their moral standard. Despite support by the King, his plead fell to deaf ears – until the French Revolution broke out. Wilberforce advocated zero tolerance to swearing, drinking, debauchery and many other things. He helped set up the RSPCA. He fought for 40 years to secure the abolition of slavery.

Robert Owen (1771-1858) introduced a new view of society. He believed that the key to creating human happiness is to change human character. By improving the environment of the poor people and giving them education, you can change their behaviour. Owen evicted his tenants who don’t keep their houses clean. He offered education to his factory workers’ children, and taught them the value of sharing, being kind, etc.

Thomas Wakley (1795-1862): In his time, who becomes a doctor depends not on what they know, but who they know. Medical knowledge was only passed on to people who can pay. Wakley fought for opening medical profession to the competent rather than the privileged. He created the journal The Lancet. This completely changed the medical culture in Britain.

George Dawson (1821-1876) advocated that people should love their neighbours. “Reform delayed is revolution begun“, he said. He urged the government to build public parks and gardens, provide education for local workers, provide hospital for the poor, free library, etc. for Birmingham. Dawson believes that everyone owes something to the place where they live in, and must pay back to the society.

Charles Treleavon (1807-1886): The public service ethos was a Victorian invention. Until then, the tacit assumption was: the whole point of gaining power or office was to take advantage of it, to line one’s pocket with back-handers. Treleavon attempted to change that by introducing entrance examination to civil services. Civil servants were demanded to give the Government unbiased advice.

Octavia Hill (1838-1912) provided homes to the poor in London. She often collected the rent herself, or sent someone who cared to do so. The aim was to spot problems with the families, with the intention to help them. So she was effectively the first social worker. She demanded tenants to look after the properties, and earn their aids (instead of handing out dole).

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The person who attacks you leaves a part of him in you

Wisdom from Harry Potter

In attempting to kill Harry Potter, Voldemort left a part of himself in Potter. That is why Potter shared part of Voldemort -- including hatred. Potter had to let that part of him die before he could defeat Voldemort (Book 7). In fact, after that part of Potter died, Potter did not attempt to kill Voldemort. He cast the Expelliarmus, the disarming spell (when Voldemort used Avada Kedavra, the killing curse).

When someone tries to hurt you, he leaves part of him on you. For example, you might share the hatred that he left on you. Sometimes you want to hurt him in retaliation. Until you let that part of you die, you'll always be troubled. You'll have to forgive in order to release you from the suffering that he's caused.

Our acts all affect each other. Every action leaves some marks in this world. Unfortunately, we can all be troubled by criticism. Sometimes even the calmest or most intelligent people can be affected.