WEDNESDAY, MAY 2, 1984
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NEW PUBLIC AFFAIRS CURRICULUM BEING CONSIDERED
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A NEW SUBJECT, KNOWN AS +GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS+ MIGHT REPLACE THE EXISTING SUBJECT OF ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS IN VIEW OF THE RECENT DEVELOPMENT OF ECONOMICS AS A SEPARATE SUBJECT IN THE SENIOR SECONDARY CURRICULUM, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, THE HON COLVYN HAYE SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL.
MR HAYE SAID THAT THE NEW SUBJECT WAS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE AND THE HONG KONG EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY.
PROPOSALS FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF +GPA+ SYLLABUSES AT BOTH HIGHER AND ADVANCED LEVELS WERE ALSO BEING CONSIDERED BY THE EXAMINATIONS AUTHORITY, HE ADDED.
MR HAYE WAS REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON MRS RITA FAN ON WHETHER THE GOVERNMENT HAD ANY PROGRAMME TO PROMOTE AND STRENGTHEN POLITICAL AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE GOING THROUGH THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
+MY DEPARTMENT RECOGNISES THE IMPORTANCE OF DEVELOPING PUPILS' UNDERSTANDING OF THE SOCIETY IN WHICH THEY LIVE AND OF FOSTERING A CAPACITY FOR MAKING INFORMED JUDGEMENTS ON ISSUES OF CONTEMPORARY INTEREST AND IMPORTANCE.
+THIS ACCORDS WITH THAT ASPECT OF ESTABLISHED EDUCATIONAL POLICY WHICH SEEKS TO ENABLE SCHOOLS TO REALISE THEIR PRIME FUNCTIONS, + MR HAYE SAID.
THESE FUNCTIONS, MR HAYE CONTINUED, INCLUDED HELPING CHILDREN TO ACQUIRE A LIVELY INTEREST IN THE WORLD AROUND THEM AND AN ABILITY TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES AND MAKE DECISIONS, A SENSE OF MORAL AND SOCIAL VALUES, AN APPRECIATION OF THE WORLD'S CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND A RÉALISATION OF HONG KONG'S PLACE IN THE WORLD AND ITS INTER-DEPENDENCE ON OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD.
+CURRENT SYLLABUSES FOR FORMS I - 111 WHICH TOUCH ON THESE ASPECTS EXAMINE THE SALIENT FEATURES OF OUR POLITICAL SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE AND DEVELOP AN AWARENESS OF THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES WHICH ARE IMPLICIT IN GOOD CITIZENSHIP.
+ IN FORMS IV AND V, THE SCOPE OF THE EXISTING EPA SYLLABUS IS BROADER, COVERING THE BASIC CONCEPTS OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AS EXEMPLIFIED BY THE WORKINGS OF OTHER POLITICAL SYSTEMS, AND THE APPLICATION OF THESE CONCEPTS TO THE STUDY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES IN HONG KONG, HE SAID.
MR HAYE SAID THAT APART FROM FORMAL CURRICULUM THERE WERE INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE TO SHARPEN THE IR POLITICAL AWARENESS AND KNOWLEDGE THROUGH EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS DEBATES, AND COMMUNITY-BUILDING ACTIVITIES ORGANISED BY THE COMMUNITY YOUTH CLUB SCHEME.
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