Veteran liberal studies teacher Kwan Chin-ki felt the subject helped raise awareness of societal issues among students but there was not a direct link to young Hongkongers’ participation in politics.
Meanwhile, presidents of three universities called on different parties to resolve the rift through constructive dialogue.
HKU president and vice-chancellor Professor Zhang Xiang said he was disheartened by the violence and condemned the “destructive acts”.
Polytechnic University Professor Teng Jinguang said: “While we are fully aware of the sentiments in our society, we are very concerned about the wellness and well-being of our students.”City University’s president Professor Way Kuo called on the government to communicate sincerely with different sectors “to avoid the continued outbursts of impatience and dissatisfaction in our society”.