EDUCATION
Visual Education
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The Visual Education Section makes available through its Audio Visual Resources Library a wide range of audio-visual aids on free loan to schools. The stock includes 16mm films, video-cassette tapes, filmstrips, slides and transparencies, filmloops, learning packages and cassette tapes. The section's Media Production Services Unit in Canton Road is open seven days a week to assist teachers in the production of teaching aids. The facilities of the unit include photographic, reprographic, graphic, model making, tape duplicating, booklet binding, picture preservation and screen printing equipment and a microcomputer system. During the year, 7 000 teachers utilised the facilities of the unit and over 150 courses and workshops on the production of audio-visual materials were organised, with a total attendance of more than 3 500 teachers.
Physical Education
The Physical Education Section is responsible for the improvement of teaching standards in physical education in schools and the promotion of school sports, outdoor education camps and dance. In 1986, some 52 courses and seminars in physical education were conducted for over 2 707 teachers.
In January, the 22nd Schools Dance Festival attracted 3 623 participants from 252 secondary, primary and special schools. In April and May, prize-winners' performances were held at the City Hall, the Tsuen Wan Town Hall and Lut Sau Hall, Yuen Long. In July and August, the Hong Kong Schools Dance Team took part in the Festival International de Musica de Cantonigros in Spain and the Aberdeen International Youth Festival, Scotland. It also performed at the opening of the new Hong Kong Exhibition at the Commonwealth Institute in London.
Throughout the year, 371 courses and 10 competitions in various sports were organised for students. In addition, 122 courses in connection with the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme were conducted for 158 member schools.
The section continued to administer the Royal Hong Kong Jockey Club Fund for the Summer Youth Programme for Schools, through which 175 813 students from 532 primary and secondary schools benefited.
Through the Hong Kong Schools Sports Council, the Physical Education Section also played an active role in the promotion of school sports. Training schemes in badminton, basketball and football were conducted to develop the potential of young athletes in schools. Jing Ying competitions in various sports were held at both primary and secondary levels; inter port competitions in nine different sports were organised between Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong. Two school football teams also took part in international school tournaments held in Brunei and South Korea in summer.
Music Education
In 1986, a total of 13 in-service training courses and seminars were organised for over 1 300 music teachers in primary and secondary schools. The emphasis of this year's in-service training programme was to improve the teaching capabilities of teachers in rural primary schools.
The Centralised Scheme of Music Training, which provides opportunities for further study in music at senior secondary level in courses leading up to the Certificate of Education, Higher Level and Advanced Level Music Examinations, reached its final stage of expansion.