Hong Kong Secondary Students Union
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The Hong Kong Secondary Students Union (Chinese characters: 香港中學生聯盟, pinyin: Xiānggǎng Zhōngxuéshēng Liánméng) was established in August 2003 by some pro-democratic secondary school students of Hong Kong. Formed by various students’ associations (SA’s) and students’ councils (SC’s) of secondary schools, it is the third-largest politically-involved youth organization in Hong Kong, after the Hong Kong Federation of Students and the Hong Kong Youth and Tertiary Students Association.
The HKSSU’s stated goals are to study social and political issues from a student’s perspective, to speak out on government policies affecting secondary school students, and to raise awareness and sense of responsibility among young people towards social and political issues. Activities include the annual Youth Conference in Hong Kong, as well as participation in various political demonstrations.
Advisors to the HKSSU include four barristers, one solicitor, twelve university professors and lecturers, two clergy, one reporter, one accountant, and two doctors.
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[edit] Political activism
Secondary school students in Hong Kong were traditionally perceived as being indifferent to politics, until an ad-hoc group of secondary students (中學生關注基本法第23條立法聯盟) called about 3000 students to take part in the political demonstration in 2003 against Article 23 of Hong Kong’s Basic Law, after noticing heated discussions among students about the proposed legislation. After the demonstration, the ad-hoc group reorganized itself and became a registered organization under the name Hong Kong Secondary Students Union.
[edit] Political demonstrations
HKSSU has been active in many political demonstrations since its inception, including:
- the pro-democracy demonstration demanding universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008 on New Year’s Day, January 1, 2004;
- the demonstration against the interpretation of Basic Law by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on April 11, 2004;
- the pro-democracy demonstration demanding universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008 on July 1, 2004;
- the pro-democracy demonstration demanding universal suffrage in 2007 and 2008 on January 23, 2005;
- the demonstration on April 17, 2005 against the history revisionism in Japanese textbooks;
- the demonstration against the interpretation of Basic Law by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress on April 24, 2005;
- the rally on May 31, 2005 commemorating the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989;
- the pro-democracy demonstration demanding universal suffrage on 2007 and 2008 on July 1, 2005; and
- the pro-democracy demonstration demanding a timetable of democratization on December 4, 2005.
Despite HKSSU’s success to mobilize a large number of students in the first 1 July Rally in 2003, it seemed unable to call such a great number of students to join later demonstrations, and people who marched in the name of the union were mostly either members of the executive committee or core members. Many teenagers did participate in the demonstrations, but they did not follow the union.
Nevertheless, HKSSU did participate in most of the protests organized by the pro-democracy camp, including as the anti–Tiananmen massacre protests, not only for expressing the students’ voice, but also for raising funds to keep the union running.
[edit] Other political involvements
Besides participating in political demonstrations, the HKSSU has also been active in other political activities, including
- participating in various public discussion forums; and
- organizing and participating in promotional events to encourage voter turnout.
[edit] Other activities
The HKSSU was also involved in other activities, including conducting a survey among secondary school students on educational issues (funding cuts in particular) in December, 2003; and the issue of various position papers on mostly educational policies.
On the 1 January 2005, they joined a donation campaign raised by the pro-democracy camp, raising funds for people affected by tsunami of South Asia. They established counters in Mong Kok and Causeway Bay, and successfully raised more than $70000.
Besides, they also organize the Youth Conference every year.
[edit] Youth Conference
The Youth Conference (青年圓桌會議) is an annual activity held by HKSSU in Hong Kong.
[edit] Youth Conference 2004
YC 2004 was co-organized by HKSSU, Hong Kong Human Rigths Monitor (HKHRM) and Hong Kong Democratic Development Network (HKDDN), with the of:
- training the thinking, debating and communicating skills,
- agglomerating the united power of the youths,
- making the youths concern more about public affairs,
- learning about the structure of the Hong Kong Children's Council.
For the organizing committees, many walk-in teenagers, as well as some Executive Committees of the union who were F.5 or F.7. The director of this year was Kitty Ng, the chairlady of HKSSU.
More than 160 students from different schools applied for attending this conference, and 85 of them were chosen to participate in the activity. A pre-camp workshop was held on July 21, 2004 in Esther Lee Building of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. A 5-day camp was held on July 25 – July 29, 2004, at Shaw College and a mock debate was held in Legco.
[edit] Youth Conference 2005
This year, the focus was put on the theme of ""Democratic School", together with some concepts about children rights. It was jointly organized by HKSSU, Hong Kong Human Rigths Monitor (HKHRM) and Hong Kong Democratic Development Network (HKDDN).
The organizing committees were mainly filled by some non-EXCO Members of HKSSU, together with staff of HKHRM and HKDDN. The directors of Youth Conference 2005 were Ian Leung of HKSSU, Kit Chan of HKHRM and Chris Lo of HKDDN.
A 4-day camp was held on August 1 – August 4, 2005, at Chung Chi College of CUHK. A post-camp workshop was held the City University of Hong Kong on August 13 and the mock debate was held in Legco on August 20.
[edit] Youth Conference 2006
The Executive Committee decided to organize another Youth Conference this summer, with the theme of "unequal distribution of wealth". It was jointly organized by HKSSU, Hong Kong Human Rigths Monitor (HKHRM) and Hong Kong Democratic Development Network (HKDDN).
The organizing committees were mainly filled by some non-EXCO Members & EXCO Members of HKSSU, together with staff of HKHRM and HKDDN. The chairpersons of Youth Conference 2006 were Ben Chung Kam Lun of HKSSU, Valerie Chan Wing Yin of HKHRM .
A 4-day camp was held on July 24 – July 27, 2006, at United College of CUHK. A workship will be held on August 12, 2006 at the HKPTU headquarters.
[edit] References
- “Secondary school students care about democracy” (in Chinese), 2003. Article in the Hong Kong Education City web site (a subsidiary of the Education and Manpower Bureau)
- Official website of the HKSSU (in English)
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