習思想滲各級教材 小學重「政治啟蒙」 革命傳統、國安、勞動教育 9課題「融入」大中小學 [Xi's thought is embedded in teaching materials at all levels; primary schools to emphasize "political enlightenment," revolutionary traditions, national security, labor education, and a 9 topics curriculum are "integrated" into universities, middle schools and primary schools]

 

Pix Credit HERE

 

It is with no great irony that even as I was posting a video discussion of Chapter 18 my book, Hong Kong Between 'One Country' and 'Two Systems', (links here) about what became the increasingly problematic relationship between the Hong Kong education system and the central authorities, the repercussions of which would be felt with increasing singularity after 2020 (see HERE),  the Chinese central authorities announced in 25 August 2021, a deepening of patriotic and ideological education starting from primary education and reaching up through  university education.

As it is only right, given the ironies here, that some of that reporting originates in Hong Kong's Online newspaper, Ming Pao (明報) : 習思想滲各級教材 小學重「政治啟蒙」 革命傳統、國安、勞動教育 9課題「融入」大中小學 [Xi's thought is embedded in teaching materials at all levels; primary schools to emphasize "political enlightenment," revolutionary traditions, national security, labor education 9 topics curriculum are "integrated" into universities, middle schools and primary schools]. The announcement came from the   National Textbook Committee which issued a number of textbook guides. Most significant among them was the integration of "Xi Jinping New Era Socialism Thought with Chinese Characteristics"in the curriculum. 

The control of education is, again, a central concern of state authorities throughout the world.  It has again become common knowledge that those who control the inculcation of baseline principles, ideologies and ways of viewing the world on the young can then control authoritatively all that flows from it--from politics, to economics, to cultural and societal ordering.  Education, then, serves as an important political space which serves the state (or other authoritative drivers of collective cultural discipline) in its inter-generational management (and more importantly) preservation of "correct" thinking about the orthodox collective political-economic-societal model. While it is necessary to ensure the proper socialization of a population subject to collective orthodoxy in appropriate values and perspectives, the naturalization of those values and perspectives in the young is critical.  This is not merely a Leninist preoccupation. In that respect every vibrant ( that is not decaying culture) is ruthlessly "woke", and quite strategically so, in its relation to the education of its masses, but especially the young.  The only real issue (again in a living culture) touch on the mechanics and allocation of that power to determine the content of normative transmission--who gets to be the priestly caste of political-economic-culture in a society. Catholic education in 19th Century America, the form in which 19th and 20th century history is taught in Korea and Japan, and the the battles over the inclusion of "Critical Race Theory" in the curricula of American public school, are merely the tips of a very large iceberg of the politics not merely of culture, but of control of the lens through which all knowledge may be given "correct" or "approved" meaning.  

This represents a much more public and structured effort to develop a formal institutional framework for the naturalization of a specific episteme (the premises through which knowledge is understood and meaning made) within China that guides the development of the doxa of the masses (their common knowledge) and that informs techne of the applied sciences and of vocational aspects of education (STEM etc.). The Chinese Communist Party has become increasingly preoccupied with this issue as the full ramifications of the infiltrations, and its challenges, from a  generation of Reform and Opening Up, become both clear and consequential.  The authorities have responded both defensively and proactively.  Defensive actions have included a much closer scrutiny and a tightening up of education arrangements with non-Chinese and Non-Marxist Leninist institutions within China, and a closer surveillance on non-STEM education for its citizens, especially when it focuses on trends, ideas, thinking and ideology from abroad. Proactively, the Chinese central authorities, starting well before the 2019 protests erupted in Hong Kong and almost from the start of the leadership of Xi Jinping, have sought to develop and impose a curriculum of patriotic education within the education system.  This is not meant to displace the technical education already a strong component of Chinese educational pedagogy.  Instead it is meant to frame that study by contextualizing it within the political appropriate perspective--that of Chinese Marxist Leninism as it has developed from

Mao Zedong through Xi Jinping. It thus seeks to apply the principle of episteme that "In any given culture and at any given moment, there is always only one episteme that defines the conditions of possibility of all knowledge, whether expressed in a theory or silently invested in a practice." (Foucault, Michel. [1966] 1970. The Order of Things: An Archaeology of the Human Sciences (NY: Vintage Books) p. 183.) That episteme now, and more formally, is encapsulated in New Era thinking and the basic line of the CCP.

 

Pix Credit: HERE (Florida Public Schools 1971)

But it is one thing to develop the architecture of a robust episteme; it is quite another to see it operationalized.  No matter how important the central authorities think this is, no matter how much pomp and ceremony is affixed to its articulation and presentation to the masses, such programs remain dead letter in the absence of a large, well educated, and dedicated cadre of teachers dedicated to taking the task seriously. It also requires a set of  metrics with bite.  The West has had its share of legislatively pronounced efforts at building episteme in specific areas.  Sometimes they are successful--but usually when they are deeply embedded within the core texts of every field. It is when they are distilled and presented separately that, in its implementation, such projects tend to be observed strictly in form and mocked in execution.   Bit when they are embedded across the curriculum, they can be marinalized, parodied, or subtly criticized within the broader structures of presentation. In China, as in the West, no one has bothered since the crude and heavy handed efforts of the Cultural Revolution to deeply embed the episteme of Chinese Marxist Leninism in the core texts of the curriculum so that it becomes both baseline and that path to the representation of reality through which everything else is understood, in this way substantially invisible and natural to the study of a field in which it appears.  Nor does it appear that the state has trained (and disciplined) a very large cadre of teachers enthusiastic and knowledgeable in the concepts and pedagogy of this episteme. 

If one is to believe the Ministry, though, that is precisely the project attempted now, a deep dive into catechismic education 2.0. These are large scale comprehensive culture changing projects that take a generation of unrelenting penitence and a commitment to the presentation of its premises and the comprehensive way in which it shapes the knowledge of fields and the world around us. These are the three factors that marked the success of the culture changing critical movement in the United States--the embedding of its premises across disciplines taught by a generation of educators instilled with the naturalness and need for this reality assessing perspective, teaching from a large body of materials created to support and develop these episteme. In the absence of that it is likely that the large gap between the elaboration of a theory of teaching and of its curriculum and its successful application will not shrink any time soon.  Where the project is not comprehensively and seamlesslyapplied, and where local culture is strong and indifferent, the risk that detached projects such as this, appended to the "real" curriculum there is a real risk that the project at theological levels will be treated either as a joke, more subtly mocked in the teaching, or  reduced to a necessary obligation producing resistance to its teachings rather than acceptance.  That, certainly, points to the danger realized in the United States--and elsewhere. But the rewards of success may be worth the risk--and technology (assuming the state has enough interest to put sufficient resources behind the policy) could be effective in tying this approach the the nudging inherent in social credit systems.

The reporting by Ming Pao (明報) : 習思想滲各級教材 小學重「政治啟蒙」 革命傳統、國安、勞動教育 9課題「融入」大中小學 [Xi's thought is embedded in teaching materials at all levels; primary schools to emphasize "political enlightenment," revolutionary traditions, national security, labor education 9 topics curriculum are "integrated" into universities, middle schools and primary schools] follows in its original Chinese and in a very crude English translation.

2021年8月25日星期三

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習思想滲各級教材 小學重「政治啟蒙」 革命傳統、國安、勞動教育 9課題「融入」大中小學



 
【明報專訊】內地秋季開學前夕，國家教材委員會發布多份教材指南，其中《習近平新時代中國特色社會主義思想進課程教材指南》（下稱《習思想指南》）明確要求把「習思想」全面融入大中小學課程教材。教育部教材局昨表示，將推動包括《習思想》、《國家安全教育》等9個「重大主題課程」（見表）。當局表示，要結合學科特點，以有機融入為主，確保習思想在大中小學課程教材中「相互銜接、層層遞進」。至於會否增加學生負擔、與「減負」政策相悖，局方則表示，上述九大課題暫不能一一獨立成課。



教育部：青少年身分認同面臨新挑戰

在昨日發布會上，教育部教材局局長田慧生表示，當今世界，百年未有之大變局正加速演進，國際力量對比出現新變化，全球抗疫催生多極新格局，人們思想活動的獨立性明顯增加，青少年文化認同、國民身分認同等面臨新挑戰，因此要培育學生具有全球視野，「更要厚植學生中華文化底蘊，增強學生做中國人的志氣、骨氣、底氣，堅定不移聽黨話、跟黨走，樹立為中國特色社會主義事業接續奮鬥的理想信念」。

據中新社、人民網等官媒報道，在各主題教育的安排上，田慧生介紹，一方面，在學科安排上，要全科覆蓋、各有側重，避免交叉重複。如《習思想指南》指出，思想政治課是關鍵課程，要集中系統講授；哲學社會科學是主幹課程，分專題講授；理工農醫等其他課程則「有機融入」相關內容，做到教材「全覆蓋」。另一方面在不同學習階段要有序遞進——如《革命傳統進中小學課程教材指南》要求，小學側重政治思想與道德啟蒙，初中側重政治覺悟提高和品德錘煉，高中側重政治認同和精神昇華。對於習思想，大學階段重在形成理論思維，增強使命擔當；研究生階段重在深度探究，形成宣傳、闡釋、研究新思想的質素和能力，做到融會貫通。
「減負即學得有效 即學習主題教育」

有記者問到，如此多內容要編入教材，現時不少學生反映負擔已很重，這方面如何平衡？教育部教材局一級巡視員申繼亮答道「減負」是為了讓學生學習有意義和有效，而有效就是學畢生受用的事，而設計「重大主題教育」，是培育學生核心素養的「應有之義」。

田慧生亦在會上補充，「學生學習時間有限，課程門類內容總量要控制，不能一一獨立設課」。此前，包括《習近平新時代中國特色社會主義思想》、《習近平總書記教育重要論述講義》等講授習思想的課程已在大學設必修課。
毛思想昔融入教材 數學課談階級鬥爭

國家教材委委員韓震表示，用「習近平新時代中國特色社會主義思想」鑄魂育人的路線圖，對推動大中小學學習貫徹「習思想」走實走深，具重大意義。要求把習思想全面融入課程教材，要做到覆蓋基礎教育、職業教育、高等教育各類型各學段，涵蓋國家、地方和校本課程，融入哲學社會科學、自然科學各學科，貫穿思想道德教育、文化知識教育、社會實踐教育各環節，確保習思想在大中小學課程教材中「相互銜接、層層遞進」。

文化大革命時期，毛澤東思想也曾全面融入包括語文、數學、歷史等各科課程教材。如在中學《數學》的函數課程如此表述：「毛主席教導我們：『千萬不要忘記階級鬥爭。』現在我們來清算狗抵住錢剝皮殘酷剝削貧農張大伯那筆『利上滾利』的罪惡帳。」在目前已推行的《習近平新時代中國特色社會主義思想學生讀本（初中）》，習近平的語錄與圖片在各章節均有出現。







Wednesday, August 25, 2021
China News
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Xi's thought is embedded in teaching materials at all levels; primary schools to emphasize "political enlightenment," revolutionary traditions, national security, labor education and a 9 topics  are "integrated" into universities, middle schools and primary schools
Figure 3 of 3

[Ming Pao News] On the eve of the autumn semester in the Mainland, the National Textbook Committee issued a number of textbook guides. Among them, the "Xi Jinping New Era Socialism Thought with Chinese Characteristics" (hereinafter referred to as "Xi Thought Guide") which is to be fully integrated into the curriculum and teaching materials of universities, middle schools and primary schools. The Textbook Bureau of the Ministry of Education stated yesterday that it will promote 9 "major themed courses" including "Xi Thought" and "National Security Education" (see table). The authorities stated that it is necessary to combine the characteristics of the disciplines and focus on organic integration to ensure that Xi's thoughts are "connected to each other and progressively advanced" in the curriculum and teaching materials of universities, middle schools and primary schools. As for whether it will increase the burden on students, which is contrary to the "burden reduction" policy, the bureau said, the nine topics mentioned above cannot be taught individually.

Ministry of Education: Youth Identity Facing New Challenges

 At the press conference yesterday, Tian Huisheng, director of the Teaching Materials Bureau of the Ministry of Education, said that in today's world, major changes unseen in a century are accelerating, new changes are emerging in the international balance of power, the global anti-epidemic response has spawned a new multi-polar pattern, and the independence of people's ideological activities have significantly increased. Young people’s cultural identity and national identity are facing new challenges. Therefore, it is necessary to nurture students with a global perspective. Talk, follow the party, and establish the ideals and beliefs to continue striving for the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics."

According to official media reports such as China News Service and People's Daily Online, Tian Huisheng introduced that in the arrangement of education on various topics, on the one hand, in the arrangement of disciplines, all subjects should be covered with different emphasis to avoid overlapping. For example, the "Guide to Learning Thoughts" pointed out that ideological and political courses are key courses and should be taught in a concentrated and systematic manner; philosophy and social sciences are the main courses and are taught on a topic basis; cover". On the other hand, it is necessary to progress in an orderly manner in different stages of learning-as required by the "Revolutionary Traditions into Primary and Secondary School Curriculum and Textbook Guide", primary schools focus on political ideology and moral enlightenment, junior high schools focus on political awareness and moral training, and high schools focus on political identity and spirit. sublimation. For Xi thought, the university stage focuses on forming theoretical thinking and enhancing mission responsibility; the graduate stage focuses on in-depth exploration, forming the quality and ability of propaganda, interpretation, and research of new ideas, so as to achieve integration.

"Burden reduction means effective learning means learning theme education"

A reporter asked that with so much content to be included in teaching materials, many students now report that the burden is already heavy. How can this be balanced? Shen Jiliang, the first-level inspector of the Textbook Bureau of the Ministry of Education, replied that "burden reduction" is to make student learning meaningful and effective, and effective learning is to prepare to learn for a lifetime, and the design of "major theme education" is the "desired meaning of training students' core literacy." ".

Tian Huisheng also added at the meeting, "Students have limited learning time, and the total amount of course content must be controlled. It is not possible to set up individual courses one by one." Prior to this, courses including "Xi Jinping Thoughts on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics in a New Era" and "Lecture Notes on Important Education of General Secretary Xi Jinping" have been compulsory courses in universities. Mao's thoughts have been integrated into the textbooks, and the mathematics class talks about class struggle

Han Zhen, a member of the National Textbook Committee, said that the road map of "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era" is of great significance for promoting the study and implementation of "Xi Thought" in colleges, middle and primary schools. It is required to fully integrate learning thoughts into the course materials, to cover all types of basic education, vocational education, and higher education, to cover national, local and school-based courses, to integrate philosophy, social sciences, and natural sciences, and to run through ideological and moral education, All links of cultural knowledge education and social practice education ensure that Xi's thoughts are "connected to each other and progressively advanced" in the course materials of universities, middle schools and primary schools.

During the Cultural Revolution, Mao Zedong Thought was also fully integrated into the textbooks of various subjects including Chinese, mathematics, and history. For example, the function course in the middle school "Mathematics" stated: "Chairman Mao taught us: "Don't forget the class struggle." Now let's settle the dog against the money, skinning and cruelly exploiting the poor peasant Uncle Zhang's account. "Compound interest." In the currently implemented "Xi Jinping New Era Socialist Thoughts with Chinese Characteristics Student Reader (Junior High School)", Xi Jinping's quotations and pictures appear in each chapter.