Religious Education in Hong Kong Catholic Schools: Past, Present and Future

Abstract

This chapter explores the challenges facing the religious education in Catholic schools in Hong Kong since the 1960s. Internally, a search for appropriate curriculum approaches and a lack of qualified teachers have stood out as the two key factors constraining the development of religious education in these schools. An exploration of these factors which influence religious education in Hong Kong is crucial for a Catholic education system committed to facing the challenge of upholding the importance of this discipline not only in the past but also in the present. The chapter then proceeds to consider future reforms pertaining to Catholic Religious Education in Hong Kong. The analysis will take into consideration the external factor of Hong Kong’s inclusion and accountability to the new sovereign power of Beijing after 1997 which is not always amicable to the Vatican.