For years, parents and students in the semi-autonomous city have feared a shift toward China-style "patriotic education," with a previous attempt to introduce such a curriculum defeated by mass protests in 2012. The new rules, coming in the wake of both the new security law and a crackdown on the city's opposition movement, go far beyond what was previously mooted, reports CNN.

In a circular issued to schools Thursday, the city's Education Bureau (EDB) said that "as far as national security is concerned, there is no room for debate or compromise", the news channel reported.

Ip Kin-yuen, a former lawmaker and vice chairman of the Professional Teachers' Union has targeted the government for not consulting the teachers and parents before unveiling the new policies.

"There is a lot of sensitivity and unpredictability when it comes to national security law education," he said. "It will bring about huge pressure and anxiety among principals and teachers," Ip Kin-yuen was quoted as saying by CNN.