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EDUCATION
Cultural Crafts Centre The Education Department's Cultural Crafts Centre accommodates sections of the Advisory Inspectorate responsible for art and design, crafts and home economics. The centre has well-equipped workshops for holding in-service courses, seminars and demonstrations for primary and secondary school teachers. During the year, some 1,100 teachers attended. Annual exhibitions of pupils' work in these subjects are organised in the Cultural Crafts Centre; in 1979 they attracted more than 8,000 visitors.
The Art Section assisted 36 local organisations and 50 schools in arranging competitions and exhibitions during the year. It also organised the selection of local entries for students' art exhibitions and competitions in the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, India and Korea. In addition, the section worked with the Visual Education Centre and Radio Television Hong Kong in the making of a 15-minute film on art education.
In July, three sets of Chinese recipes-prepared by the Home Economics Section, with the help of secondary school teachers, were published. They are on sale at the Government Publications Centre.
An important task undertaken by the Cultural Crafts Centre is the co-ordination of a scheme to promote the teaching of art and design, home economics, and design and technology at junior secondary level in government and aided schools. Funds are being allocated to provide facilities, employ suitable staff and to purchase the necessary equipment.
Music
During 1979, more than 450 primary and secondary teachers attended seminars, refresher courses and music workshops organised by the Music Advisory Inspectorate of the Educa- tion Department.
In the primary sector, teachers were encouraged to develop children's interest in music through movement and singing games in the lower classes, with instrumental activities in the higher classes. In the secondary field, emphasis was placed on developing an appreciation of Chinese music. An advisory panel of well-known music teachers prepared a teaching guide for junior secondary forms.
About 52,000 students took part in the 31st Annual Schools Music Festival in 282 classes at 13 different centres. Six prize-winners' concerts were given before capacity audiences in the City Hall concert hall.
Physical Education
The Physical Education Section of the Education Department conducts regular school visits during which advice and supervision is given to heads and teachers to improve the quality of physical education. Training courses, seminars, conferences and camps are organised for teachers and students.
The first edition of the Physical Education Syllabus and Handbook for Primary School Teachers was published in 1979. With the help of the Visual Education Centre and Radio Television Hong Kong, the section produced a teaching film on modern educational gymnastics for secondary schools.
For recreation, the section organised various educational camps, canoeing and sailing courses as well as many activities under a learn-to-swim scheme and the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme. Similar activities for handicapped children from special schools were also provided.