EDUCATION
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demonstrations and promotes the exchange of ideas on teaching these practical subjects. In 1982, the centre was used by more than 2 000 teachers.
The Art Section gave advice and assistance to over 50 local organisations and schools in arranging exhibitions and competitions. It organised two exhibitions of creative work by local and overseas students during the year, attracting over 18 000 visitors. In addition, the section organised the selection of local entries for students' art exhibitions and competitions in the United Kingdom, Finland, Korea, Japan and India.
The Home Economics Section conducted 11 in-service courses for teachers in primary and secondary schools and assisted in the preparation of an art and craft syllabus for primary schools. Two sets of synchronised slides on the teaching of needlework and dress- making at secondary level were produced by the section.
Music
Special features of the in-service training programmes for music teachers during 1982 were courses based on the Carl Orff Schulwerk System and the Kodaly Choral Music Method, both conducted by overseas experts. More than 100 teachers attended the Orff course on Creative Music in the Classroom organised in conjunction with the Hong Kong Arts Centre as part of the Dow Summer Arts '82 programme, and about 200 teachers attended a two-month course conducted by the president of the British Kodaly Society.
A pilot scheme offering a two-year part-time special music course for senior secondary students was launched in September to help students with an aptitude in music to pursue the subject to the Hong Kong Certificate of Education Examination level.
About 55 000 students participated in 289 classes at the 34th Annual Schools Music Festival, which was judged by four overseas and four local adjudicators.
Physical Education
The Physical Education Section has four areas of work: school inspection, training, programmes and services. The section is responsible for improving physical education teaching standards in primary and secondary schools. It also runs in-service courses for physical education teachers, evaluates and reviews syllabuses, and promotes school sports. The first Summer School of Physical Education, with 20 courses for 16 sports, was organised for 753 teachers in 1982.
The School Programme Group organises activities such as swimming, dancing, canoeing, sailing and camping. In association with the Urban Council, it was responsible for a new Summer Sports Scheme in 1982 at intermediate and advanced levels involving 87 training courses in 11 sports. The School Services Group is responsible for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award Scheme in secondary schools, colleges of education, technical institutes and evening schools; 23 gold awards were achieved in 1982. It organised recreational camps, sports training camps and other activities for handicapped children in special schools, and was involved in running the Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled in October. The Physical Education Section has continued to assist the Hong Kong Schools Sports Council in organising schools sports competitions at interport and international levels. Eight Asian cities participated in the Inter-City Schools' Invitational Football Tournament organised by the council in January. And, for the first time, events for primary schools were included in interport competitions between Hong Kong and Macau schools. With funds from the government and generous donations from the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club, the section was again able to organise an extensive summer recreation programme for nearly 300 000 school children.