Human right ethos in schools: A Hong Kong case study

In 2009-10, the researchers were engaged in a Basic Law Education (BLE) project financed by the Quality Education Funds of the HKSAR Government. The project aimed at providing secondary teachers curriculum and pedagogical support in the teaching of the Hong Kong Basic Law, human rights and law-related concepts. As part of the project, the human right friendly ethos of the participating schools was studied. The research methodology comprised both a questionnaire survey, using the Indicators and Evaluative Checklist for Human Rights Friendly Environment in Schools, and followed by in-depth focus group interviews with groups of students and the teacher responsible for conducting the survey. Human rights education is an important part of civic education in the 21st century and it can best be supported by a human rights friendly school ethos. This paper makes use of the research findings from the study and explores, with the help of a case study, why and how a school can promote a human right friendly school ethos and the complications that may arise. The paper can be of reference value to researchers and civic educators who are interested in human right education. It can also be of help to school leaders and teachers who are trying to develop a human right respecting school environment which is now universally required.