The Department of Justice (DoJ) today officially launched the second phase of the Rule of Law Education (ROLE) Stars Train-the-Leaders (TTL) Programme, with a two-day foundation course on knowledge of the rule of law for about 120 trainees who are local secondary school teachers.

The course provided training in a diversified, interactive, interesting, down to earth and easy-to-understand manner, to enhance the trainees’ capability for and effectiveness of promoting consistent and correct messages relating to the rule of law to students, young people and other education sector stakeholders.

Apart from delivering opening remarks for the event this morning, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam also gave a lecture on the “Rule of law and our legal system”.

He elaborated on the essence of the rule of law concept, presented an overview of Hong Kong’s legal and judicial systems, and explained to the trainees the relationship between the rule of law and the Constitution, the Basic Law, the Hong Kong National Security Law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and “one country, two systems”.

Mr Lam said he hoped the programme would enhance teachers’ understanding of the rule of law and the common law system in Hong Kong, as well as their knowledge in the Constitution and different laws such as the above-mentioned ones, in order to build their confidence in teaching the relevant content in the future.

The justice chief noted that rule of law education and education on cultivating a sense of national identity have to be developed in parallel to complement each other, so as to nurture students’ proper concepts of the rule of law, and instil their sense to respect and abide by the rule of law on the basis of the country’s Constitution and Hong Kong’s Basic Law. Teachers also have to lead by example to effectively teach rule-of-law related values to their students.

He thanked the Education Bureau for its assistance in recruiting about 120 secondary school teachers for the programme.

Secretary for Education Choi Yuk-lin also delivered opening remarks, while Secretary for Home & Youth Affairs Alice Mak was in attendance.

The second-phase TTL Programme is one of the DoJ’s policy initiatives of The Chief Executive’s 2023 Policy Address, with the first event being the foundation course for local secondary school teachers of subjects related to the rule of law, the Constitution, national security education, and citizenship and social development.

The programme's second-day event and graduation ceremony will be held on July 13. Certificates will be presented to trainees who have completed the two-day foundation course.

The second-phase TTL Programme also comprises an advance course focusing on the practice of the rule of law. Trainees who have completed the first phase of the programme will be arranged to visit law enforcement agencies and participate in mock court activities to gain first-hand experience of the practice of the rule of law, and strengthen their understanding of the criminal justice process.

The first visit activity will be held at the end of July, while other activities will be rolled out by stages in the second half of this year.