In the circular, the office called on schools to “proactively organize” their students’ participation in the exchange programs.
“Exchange programs and study tours for students in mainland China form an important part of national education… (They help) enable primary and secondary school students to experience our country’s development first-hand and from different perspectives, deepen what they have learned in class, improve their understanding of our country and strengthen their sense of national identity,” it said.
The government had previously stated that the programs had an annual quota of over 100,000 students, meaning that every student in the city could participate in the programs at least once in primary school and then again during secondary school.
The office said on Monday that it would increasingly introduce elements of party history as part of the cross-border trips.
“In line with patriotic education, the new school year will see greater emphasis on ‘red resources’ in the program plans, including visits to historical sites, museums and thematic memorial halls,” it said.
“(The goal of the red resources) is to enhance students’ understanding of the revolutionary histories and struggles of their predecessors and thereby strengthen their national spirit,” the office’s document said.
For 30 of the 81 trips listed in the circular, it was indicated that red resources would be part of the excursions.
The list of trips includes cities such as Beijing and Shanghai as well as the provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan and Shaanxi and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
In one case, students in grades three to five were scheduled to visit the Chinese Communist Party Museum in Beijing as part of a five-day trip.
“The learning focus is on understanding the history of the Chinese Communist Party and the country’s development in different periods and how it has dealt with different challenges,” the office said.
The itinerary also includes a visit to the Xibaipo Memorial Museum, where students learn how the Communist Party Central Committee and the People’s Liberation Army used the small village in Hebei Province as their headquarters during the civil war in the 1940s.
Each participating student must pay approximately HK$1,400 to HK$1,800 (US$179.50), while city authorities cover the remaining 70 percent of the cost.
The office also said that mainland trips organised and subsidised by the authorities have been well received by schools and parents over the years.
Education authorities revamped Community Studies, a core subject for senior high school students, in 2021, expanding it to include civics and social development. They also created Civics, Economics and Society, which will be introduced for junior high school students next month.
Both subjects focus on understanding national security and strengthening students’ sense of national identity.
The office has also announced that starting in the 2025/26 school year, it will divide general studies into science and humanities subjects in order to place greater emphasis on patriotism in primary school.
