Members of the Legislative Council have expressed concerns about whether the authorities will follow the example of mainland China and include the learning of AI-related knowledge in formal curricula. Secretary for Education, Kevin Yeung, stated that the current junior secondary curriculum in Hong Kong includes elements of AI learning, and the elective ICT (Information and Communication Technology) courses in senior secondary curriculum also cover related knowledge. As for the consideration of establishing an independent subject, the authorities will take into account various aspects and discuss it in the Curriculum Development Council.
During the oral questioning session in the Legislative Council, representative Wong Kam-hau asked whether the Education Bureau would consider incorporating the teaching of mainland Chinese applications into the content of innovative technology courses. Kevin Yeung responded that current secondary school ICT-related courses already cover the use of mainland Chinese applications and platforms such as WeChat and Baidu, but schools are not required to use such programs.
Representative Tang Fei raised concerns about the significant impact of AI on technological development in recent years and inquired about the authorities' plans to introduce elective subjects for teaching AI knowledge into the local curriculum. Kevin Yeung mentioned that the junior secondary curriculum already includes special units on AI development, and there are elective subjects in senior secondary curriculum that cover related content. Regarding the need to adapt to technological advancements and consider adding more elective subjects, the authorities will take various factors into account, including student demand, before discussing it in the Curriculum Development Council.
Source:Hong Kong Economic Journal
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