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major government campaigns and community affairs in their own districts,
CYC members are employed in a variety of projects relating to country
parks, anti-corruption, consumer education and anti-smoking. The CYC
movement includes the "Luen Yi" Scheme, by which two schools
Z
generally
an urban secondary school and a rural primary school are paired,
giving them the opportunity to co-ordinate and arrange exchange visits
More than 200 schools are now
and extra-curricular activities.
participating in the scheme.
Social education
7.26
There is now undoubtedly a greater awareness among teachers
of the importance of relating education to community problems, and in
this sense a less 'academic' approach to social education is developing.
Social studies is included in the standard primary curriculum and
several secondary schools are now providing a combined social studies
programme in preference to the independent teaching of geography,
history and economic and public affairs. The Department encourages
(and indeed promotes) this as a healthy development but is a little
concerned about the possible overloading of the curriculum with community
'causes' which, though worthy and desirable in themselves, could
collectively degenerate into an unwieldy and ultimately self-defeating
propaganda campaign, leaving little time for the exploration of underlying
educational issues.
Origin of educational institutions and activities
7.27
Several educational functions or institutions which are now
independent or associated with other branches of government have their
origins in the Education Department, under which they developed a high
standard of service over a period of years. Examples include the Hong
Kong Examinations Authority, which was originally the Examinations
Division of the Department; the Hong Kong Polytechnic, based on the
former departmental Technical College; the Recreation and Sport Service,