What is Citizenship and Social Development?
Citizenship and Social Development is a compulsory senior secondary core subject designed to nurture informed, responsible citizens in the 21st century. Grounded in evidence-driven analysis, the curriculum explores three interconnecting themes: Hong Kong, the Nation, and the Contemporary World. It aims to broaden students’ cross-disciplinary knowledge in areas such as economic growth, science, technology, and public health. Ultimately, the subject strengthens national identity and global perspective, cultivates positive values, and sharpens critical thinking and problem-solving skills—equipping students to rationally evaluate complex social, national, and international issues in their daily lives.
Curriculum Aims
The aims of Citizenship and Social Development are to help students:
- enhance understanding of society, the country, the human world, the physical environment and related knowledge;
- develop multiple perspectives on contemporary mature topics in different contexts (e.g. cultural, social, economic, political and technological contexts);
- become independent thinkers; be able to adapt to the ever-changing personal, social, national and global circumstances and construct knowledge; understand the complexities of the topics, and the challenges and processes involved in decision-making for making law-abiding, rational and affective analysis, and learning how to handle conflicting values;
- inherit Chinese culture and heritage in a pluralistic society, deepen understanding and sense of identity of individuals with Chinese nationality and Chinese citizenship, and at the same time appreciate, respect and embrace diversity in cultures and views;
- develop skills relevant to life-long learning and strengthen their ability to integrate and apply knowledge and skills, including critical thinking skills, creativity, problem solving skills, communication skills, collaboration skills, data management skills, self-management skills, self-learning skills, and information technology skills;
- develop positive values and attitudes towards life, so that they can become informed and responsible citizens of society, the country and the world.
