Hong Kong’s Education Bureau has proposed reforms to the senior-secondary physics, chemistry and biology curricula, including quantum-related content and special relativity in physics. The reports do not say that the changes have been formally finalised or provide an implementation date.
Education Secretary Christine Choi said students should not be excluded from topics commonly associated with university-level physics simply because the subjects sound difficult. She said the depth, teaching methods and focus would differ from those in university courses.
The proposed physics teaching would not require students to master complex theories. Instead, Choi said the aim would be to give them a basic understanding of the concepts, show how they relate to modern technology and encourage curiosity about the subjects.
Choi cited the global positioning system, or GPS, as an example of a modern technology connected with quantum physics and special relativity. She said early exposure at secondary school could help students build stronger links if they later studied related theories at university.
One report also said the proposed biology reforms could include gene-editing technology and DNA sequencing. The other supplied report did not list those items, so the available information does not establish whether they are part of a complete or final proposal.
The reports use both “quantum mechanics” and “quantum physics” when describing the possible physics content, without clarifying whether these are formal curriculum titles or indicate different areas of study. They also give no details of final curriculum documents, learning outcomes, assessment requirements, teacher training or other school support.