Hong Kong - Pluralistic but separate religious education in a multi-religious city

Almost all of the world's faiths can be found in Hong Kong, with the major religions being Buddhism and Taoism (each with over 1 million followers), Protestantism (500,000 followers), and Catholicism (389,000 followers). There are also 300,000 Muslims, 100,000 Hindus, 12,000 Sikhs, and other smaller religious communities. People in Hong Kong are exposed to religious pluralism and are used to living with people of different faiths. Hong Kong is a peaceful society with no serious religious or ethnic conflicts. Since the colonial era (1841-1997), a liberal policy and institutional framework have allowed different faiths to co-exist. Even after 1997, the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region has guaranteed religious freedom for citizens and religious organisations. Concerning educational provision, the Hong Kong school system is led by an aided school sector that is under the direct management of various voluntary bodies, and nearly 60% of these schools are faith-based. The several major religions in Hong Kong -- Catholicism, Protestant Christianity, Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and Confucianism -- have been operating their own schools with different religious education (RE) programmes. These religious organisations consider school education not only as a community service but also as an essential way to nurture faith. This article discusses practices of RE in schools in Hong Kong and the current development of RE programmes.