Teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of moral, civic and national education in preparing students to citizens: Hong Kong case

Teachers not only are the key players Moral and Civic and National Education (MCNE), but also are the key figures in implementing government policies in schools. More importantly, they are the key bridge and interpretative actor between the intended and implemented curriculum (Lee & Fouts, 2005). The draft of Moral and National Education: Curriculum Guide (primary 1 to Secondary 6) (Hereafter referred to as the Guide of MNE) was issued by CDC in May, 2011. There were numerous counter-arguments against national education implementation. The biggest fear was that national education could become a form of "political brainwashing" and "indoctrination". On October 8, 2012, HKSAR announced to shelve the Guide of MNE. Therefore, gaining a greater understanding of teachers' perceptions, concepts of MCNE will enhance MCNE implementation. This paper is to study teachers’ beliefs and perceptions of Moral and Civic Education (MCE) in preparing students to be citizens by using IEA ICCS 2009 study data. Hong Kong samples don’t meet ICCS 2009 sampling requirements. Thus its findings can’t make comparisons with other counties. However, its findings provide some implications for the policy and implementations regarding MCNE in Hong Kong. Copyright © 2013 The CESHK Annual Conference.