WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1975
KEYNOTE OF MORAL EDUCATION: COMMUNITY SERVICE
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COMMUNITY SERVICE IS THE KEYNOTE OF MORAL EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON. KENNETH TOPLEY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THIS AFTERNOON.
HE WAS REPLYING TO THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN WHO WANTED TO KNOW TO WHAT EXTENT AND IN WHAT MANNER MORAL TRAINING WAS GIVEN TO STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS SO THAT THEY
IRED A SENSE OF COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITY, SELF- DISCIPLINE AND A HEALTHY RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY.
MR. TOPLEY SAID THE MAIN EMPHASIS MUST BE LAID ON EXAMPLE AND PRACTICE RATHER THAN ON PREACHING.
HE SAID: +MOST SCHOOLS NOWADAYS INCLUDE IN THEIR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT LEAST ONE WHICH IS BASED ON COMMUNITY SERVICE, SUCH AS SCOUTS, GUIDES, RED CROSS, ST. JOHN AMBULANCE, ROAD SAFETY PATROLS AND BLOOD DONATION. MANY CLUBS TOO, ARE ORGANISED WITHIN INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS TO RENDER SERVICE TO THE DISADVANTAGED.
+THESE ACTIVITIES ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE THEY ENCOURAGE PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MAKE YOUNG PEOPLE MORE AWARE OF THEIR COMMUNITY AND ITS PROBLEMS.+
THERE WAS OF COURSE A CASE FOR A MORE FORMAL APPROACH TO SOCIAL AND MORAL EDUCATION ON APPROPRIATE OCCASIONS.
+MANY PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAVE WEEKLY ASSEMBLIES IN WHICH THE HEAD TEACHERS TALK TO THE CHILDREN ON SIMPLE SOCIAL AND MORAL THEMES (FOR EXAMPLE, KINDLINESS, HONESTY, GOOD MANNERS, TOLERANCE AND A SENSE OF RESPONSIBILITY). THESE THEMES ALSO APPEAR IN THE SYLLABUSES BOTH FOR PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS,+ MR. TOPLEY SAID.
POINTING OUT THAT MORALITY WAS NOT A SCHOOL SUBJECT IN THE SAME SENSE AS MATHEMATICS, MR. TOPLEY SAID: IT IS RATHER A VITALLY IMPORTANT ELEMENT WHICH SHOULD PERMEATE THE WHOLE LIFE OF A SCHOOL.+
ONE BROAD AIM OF EDUCATION WAS TO PREPARE CHILDREN TO TAKE THEIR PLACES IN SOCIETY AS CITIZENS, WORKERS AND PARENTS. SO EDUCATION MUST TRY TO DEVELOP SOCIAL AND MORAL QUALITIES IN THE INDIVIDUAL.
IN CONCLUSION, THE DIRECTOR SAID: +NATURALLY, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR COMPLACENCY AND I PROPOSE TO CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE SCHOOLS TO GIVE CHILDREN EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP MORAL AND SOCIAL ATTRIBUTES THROUGH THE ORGANISATION OF THEIR OWN ACTIVITIES: THIS TO MY MIND IS THE SUREST METHOD OF CHARACTER FORMATION IN THE YOUNG.+
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