An executive order signed by Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture Elsie Ao Ieong U was published in the Official Gazette (BO) yesterday, announcing that the amended Requirements of Basic Academic Attainments for some subjects at primary, junior secondary and senior secondary levels will be implemented in phases starting in September with the new school year, i.e., 2024/2025.
The order signed by Ao Ieong last Wednesday noted that the revised requirements, covering the subjects of Character and Citizenship Education, General Studies, Information Technology (IT) and Arts for primary schools, and the subjects of Character and Citizenship Education, Social Sciences and Humanities, Natural Sciences and IT for junior and senior secondary schools, will take effect from the first day of the 2024/2025 school year for Primary 1 to 3 and for all primary education levels with effect from the first day of the 2025/2026 school year, as well as at all levels of the junior secondary education with effect from the first day of the 2025/2026 school year and senior secondary education with effect from the first day of the school year 2026/2027.
However, the executive order also stated that schools that are already well prepared to implement the revised requirements may do so for Primary 4 to 6, junior secondary and senior secondary levels from the first day of the coming new school year.
Requirements focus on ‘our country’
According to the executive order, the revised requirements highlight, among other objectives in terms of the Character and Citizenship Education subject, the aim of cultivating in primary school students a sense of love for the country and Macau, by, for instance, being aware of and caring for the national flag and national emblem of their country, understanding their basic meanings, knowing to sing the national anthem, and being aware of the etiquette of singing the national anthem, knowing the nation’s territory and understanding that the national territory of the motherland is sacred and inviolable, knowing that Macau is a special administrative region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), being aware of the constitutional provisions on the unity of the motherland, and enhancing their awareness of the need to safeguard national unity, being aware of the nation’s security and interests, recognising one’s national identity and feeling proud to be a Chinese and knowing that Macau has been Chinese territory since ancient times, as well as showing concern for the development, changes and challenges facing “our country”, being aware and proud of “our country’s” significant achievements, and having a basic understanding of “our country’s” international influence and status.
China’s indivisible territory comprises the mainland, the special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau, and Taiwan region.
This file photo taken last year shows young students accompanied by family members waiting at a traffic light in Rua de Francisco Xavier Pereira. – Photo: Tong Wong
