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MONDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1975
ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION IN HONG KONG
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THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS MAKING DETERMINED ATTEMPTS TO INTRODUCE ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS IN HONG KONG, MR. LA! KA-KUI, SCIENCE INSPECTOR OF THE ADVISORY INSPECTORATE, TOLD THE ASIAN YOUTH COURSE IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION AT MORRISON HOUSE TODAY.
THIS IS BEING DONE IN CO-OPERATION WITH THE TWO UNIVERSITIES, OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS, THE HONG KONG CONSERVANCY ASSOCIATION AND VARIOUS VOLUNTARY AGENCIES.
+ECOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN BOTH EXAMINATION AND TEACHING SYLLABUSES,+ MR, LAI SAID.
IN HONG KONG EDUCATIONAL INTEREST IN THE ENVIRONMENT, FROM BOTH INTRA-CURRICULAR AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR POINTS OF VIEW, THOUGH COMPARATIVELY NEW, HAS BEEN EXTREMELY KEEN AND GATHERING TREMENDOUS MOMENTUM BOTH WITHIN SCHOOLS AND OUTSIDE DURING THE LAST DECADE.
THE DEVELOPMENT OF BOTH INTRA-CURRICULAR AND EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN CONNECTION WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION DATES BACK TO THE MID-FIFTIES WHEN THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT STARTED ORGANISING ACTIVITIES RELATED TO THESE STUDIES.
SINCE THEN, MR. LAI SAID, ACTIVITIES OF THIS KIND HAD BECOME -MORE VARIED AND THE POPULARITY AMONG PUPILS AND TEACHERS IN BOTH
SECONDARY AND PRIMARY SCHOOLS HAD INCREASED TREMENDOUSLY.
+ALL OF THESE ACTIVITIES AIM AT MAKING BOTH THE TEACHERS AND THE PUPILS AWARE OF THEIR ROLE IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION,+ THE SCIENCE INSPECTOR SAID.
HONG KONG PUPILS ARE INTRODUCED TO THE PRINCIPLES OF CONSERVATION AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THEIR FORMAL SCHOOL LIVES PRIMARY ONE.
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY IS NOT TREATED AS AN INDEPENDENT SUBJECT IN THE SCHOOL CURRICULUM. THE PRINCIPLES OF ECOLOGY, CONSERVATION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT ARE TAUGHT IN SCHOOLS CONTINUOUSLY FROM PRIMARY ONE TO UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE STANDARD AND WITHIN VARIOUS DISCIPLINES SUCH AS THE SCIENCES, SOCIAL STUDIES AND GEOGRAPHY.
MR. LAI SPOKE ABOUT SCHOOL ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES, SUCH ́AS TREE-PLANTING, FLOWER-GROWING, VEGETABLE-PLANTING, TRAINING CAMPS FOR STUDENT CONSERVATION LEADERS AND SCHOOLS' CONTRIBUTION AND
INVOLVEMENT IN THE KEEP HONG KONG CLEAN+ CAMPAIGN.
HE ALSO MENTIONED CONSERVATION FIELD DAYS FOR STUDENT TEACHERS AT THE COLLEGES OF EDUCATION AND CONSERVATION TOURS FOR IN-SERVICE TEACHERS.
/ON SCHOOL