EDUCATION
Music
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Special features of the in-service programme for music teachers during 1980 were courses on the Carl Orff Schulwerk System and the Kodaly Choral Music Method. Both were conducted by overseas experts. One hundred and twenty teachers attended the Orff music and movement course organised by the Advisory Inspectorate, in conjunction with the Goethe Institute and the Hong Kong Arts Centre, as part of the centre's Festival of Youth and the Arts programme. One hundred and fifty teachers attended the two-month Kodaly course which introduced the principle of the Kodaly Method and demonstrated how this form of structured music tuition could be applied in Hong Kong.
Physical Education
The Physical Education Section is responsible for conducting regular school visits, training courses and seminars to improve the quality of physical education teaching in primary and secondary schools. Activity programmes for normal and special schools are also organised. These include swimming, dancing, canoeing, gymnastics, camps, and participation in the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme.
In August, the Hong Kong Schools' Dance Team - organised by the Education Depart- ment - participated in the First Commonwealth Film and Television Festival in Cyprus, and the Israel Arts Festival. The team members, comprising 12 dancers and three officials, were part of a larger group of young Hong Kong artistes making the tour. They proved to be excellent ambassadors for Hong Kong and their dance performances were very well received.
With a subvention of approximately $300,000 from the Hong Kong Government and $750,000 from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, the Physical Education Section of the Education Department was able to organise a large summer recreation programme for over 270,000 school children.
Community Youth Club
Participation in Community Youth Club activities doubled during the 1979-80 school year with 460 activities being organised for 98,505 young people.
These activities were aimed at helping students to become more aware of community affairs and their civic rights and responsibilities, and included visits to places of interest, exhibitions, competitions, talks, seminars and community service projects.
Two pilot CYC District Committees formed during the 1978-9 school year proved very successful in promoting the movement, and they have now been established in five districts, Each committee is composed of the heads of schools in the district,
The CYC Section of the Education Department administers the Luen Yi Scheme, under which two schools - generally an urban secondary school and a rural primary school - are paired, giving them an opportunity to co-ordinate and arrange exchange visits and extra- curricular activities.
In February, 64 schools participated in the joint school visits to Ocean Park and 36 schools took part in the Inter-school Telegames Day.
School Library Scheme
School library services continued to improve under the direction of an increased number of librarians and greater financial assistance. In August, 1979, approval was given for secondary schools in the public sector with 18 classes or more to have a teacher librarian