Hong Kong Education Secretary Kevin Yeung Yun-hung has asked the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority to investigate why a question that "seriously hurt the feelings and dignity of the Chinese people who suffered great pain during the Japanese invasion of China" was part of a history exam that was sat by 5,200 students.

The question — Do you agree to the statement that "Japan did more good than harm to China between 1900 and 1945?" that was included in the history paper of this year's Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education Examination, held last week — has unsurprisingly triggered outrage. Whoever set that question has been widely condemned by people of Chinese descent everywhere, as it tries to whitewash one of the darkest chapters in modern Chinese history.

Academic freedom is no excuse for this.

The question is but one of the symptoms showing the rotten state of Hong Kong's education system, which has been encroached on and abused by anti-China forces for decades.

Their brazen doctoring of history is not all that anti-China forces have done to poison the minds of younger generations in Hong Kong over the years. In pursuit of their own political interests and agenda they have shown no qualms about hiding historical truths from Hong Kong's youth and presenting them with a false picture of the nation's history. In doing so, they have fueled the sentiments that led to the rioting that has scarred Hong Kong society in recent months and ruined the future of other people's children for their own political profit.

After years of such educational malpractices, many young people have been duped into harming Hong Kong society with violence during the illegal campaign that started in June last year, using the extradition law amendment bill as an excuse. In the past 11 months 3,286 students have been arrested for breaking Hong Kong law, while the crime rate among minors has soared.

Hong Kong's education system, infiltrated, encroached and abused by the opposition camp for years, has become a training ground for foot soldiers who are geared to carry out their political agenda. It is time the Special Administrative Region government overhauled Hong Kong's education system to fix all its flaws and get rid of every "virus carrier" in the sector as the future of Hong Kong's younger generations is at stake, as are the SAR's long-term prosperity and stability.

Hong Kong's education system which has been trapped in the past must be brought in line with the present reality, so that Hong Kong youth have a proper understanding of their identity.