Media

HKU launches the “Traditional Chinese Ethics and Religious Studies Project”

29 Jan 2010

 

Backed by Mainland China and facing the world, Hong Kong is privileged to have the opportunities to integrate traditional Chinese wisdom and contemporary Chinese ideologies with the education system.  Unfortunately, social morality has been on the decline. Adolescents poisoned by obscure ethical concepts and spiritual inanity tend to ignore their own prospects. They give up on themselves and commit all kinds of acts that are harmful to themselves and the society.

It is with deep concern of the future of our youths that the Centre of Buddhist Studies of the University of Hong Kong launches the "Traditional Chinese Ethics and Religious Studies Program", which aims to conduct research, develop and promote traditional Chinese wisdom that will guide adolescents in their daily life.  A teaching package on Traditional Chinese Ethics and Religious Studies will be developed under the project with the objective to enhance adolescents' sense of national identity and spirituality, thereby fostering social harmony.  A variety of activities like an essay competition for secondary schools will be organized to promote the project.

Media representatives are cordially invited to a press conference held on 1 February 2010 (Monday) for an understanding of the project. The findings of a questionnaire survey on 6,600 parents of secondary school students asking their views on ethics and moral education in local secondary schools will be released. It is found that 80% parents think that schools should offer a course in Traditional Chinese Ethics and Religious Studies for their children. Most of the parents wish their children could learn about moral concepts and apply them to counter peer pressure and the onslaught of negative cultures, and to manage the dilemmas of growing up. If Traditional Chinese Ethics and Religious Studies is available as a subject of the NSS curriculum, 77% parents would encourage their children to take the course.

Details of the Press Conference:

Date： 1 February, 2010 (Monday)

Time： 2:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.

Venue：Convocation Room, Room 218, 2/F Main Building, The University of Hong Kong

Guest Speakers：

- Dr. CHENG Wai-Ming, Peter (Research Coordinator, Jao Tsung-I Petite Ecole, The University of Hong Kong)

- Professor LEE Chack-fan, SBS, JP (Director, HKU School of Professional And Continuing Education)

- Mr. WONG Wing-ping, Joseph, GBS, JP (Honorary Professor, Department of Politics and Public Administration, The University of Hong Kong)

- Dr. CHAN Shun-hing (Associate Professor, Department of Religion and Philosophy Hong Kong Baptist University)

- Mr. KWAN Kin-cheung, James, MBE (Director, Sik Sik Yuen)

- Venerable Sik Hin Hung (Founding Fellow, Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong)

Enquiries：
Venerable Sik Fa Ren （Tel: 2241 5059／9272 1374 / Email: faren@hku.hk）                                                            
 Mr. WONG Ho-wai（Tel: 2241 5033／Email: tomaz@hku.hk）