4
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1974
NEED FOR FACTUAL INFORMATION TO FIGHT DRUG ABUSE STRESSED
*********
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION (CHIEF INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS), MR. ARTHUR BROWN, TODAY EMPHASISED THAT THERE WERE THREE ASPECTS TO CONSIDER WHEN DEALING WITH ANY DRUG PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS - DRUG EDUCATION, DETECTING SIGNS OF ANY DRUG ABUSE AND DEALING WITH ANY STUDENTS SUSPECTED OF TAKING DRUGS.
MR. BROWN WAS SPEAKING AT THE WORKSHOP ON DRUG ABUSE EDUCATION FOR TEACHERS OF ENGLISH-SPEAKING PUPILS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS HELD AT KING GEORGE V SCHOOL.
THE HALF-DAY WORKSHOP, WAS CONDUCTED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE DRUG ABUSE SUB-COMMITTEE OF THE HONG KONG ASSOCIATION OF THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY. THE WORKSHOP WAS A FOLLOW-UP TO THE SYMPOSIUM ON DRUG ABUSE FOR TEACHERS HELD LAST FEBRUARY.
IN THE CASE OF DRUG EDUCATION, MR. BROWN STRESSED THE NEED TO KEEP INFORMATION FACTUAL AND AVOID STIMULATING CURIOSITY - ONE OF THE MAIN CAUSES OF DRUG TAKING AMONG ADOLESCENTS.
HE ALSO TOUCHED BRIEFLY ON THE DIFFICULTIES OF DEALING WITH SUSPECTED OFFENDERS ESPECIALLY THAT OF CONVINCING THE STUDENTS' PARENTS THAT THERE MIGHT BE A DRUG PROBLEM.
MR. BROWN DID NOT OFFER SOLUTIONS BUT SUGGESTED THAT TEACHERS SHOULD DISCUSS THESE PROBLEMS SO THAT THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEY INTENDED TO DO IF THEY MATERIALISED.
THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR EXPLAINED TO THE TEACHERS THAT HE WANTED TO SUGGEST SOME OF THE TOPICS WHICH WOULD BE PROFITABLE FOR THEM TO INCLUDE IN THEIR DISCUSSIONS AT THE WORKSHOP.
HE POINTED OUT THE DIFFICULTY OF GETTING THE DANGERS OF DRUG TAKING IN SCHOOLS IN PERSPECTIVE, IN OTHER WORDS TO REALISE THAT PROVIDED SCHOOLS ACTED WISELY IT NEED NOT BE A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM.
MR. BROWN SAID THIS WORKSHOP WAS ONLY FOR TEACHERS IN ENGLISH- SPEAKING SECONDARY SCHOOLS SINCE PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE HAD SHOWN THAT BILINGUAL SEMINARS POSED PROBLEMS, BOTH BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE DIFFICULTY AND ALSO BECAUSE THE PROBLEMS LIKELY TO BE FACED BY TEACHERS IN ENGLISH SCHOOLS WERE RATHER DIFFERENT FROM THOSE FACED BY TEACHERS IN CHINESE SCHOOLS. HENCE SEPARATE SEMINARS HAD BEEN ARRANGED FOR TEACHERS IN CHINESE SCHOOLS.
15