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SUNDAY, JANUARY 20, 1985
A MILLION HEALTH EDUCATORS
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THE CAUSE OF HEALTH EDUCATION IN HONG KONG HAS AT LEAST A MILLION POTENTIAL YOUNG CHAMPIONS - MEANING THE ENTIRE SCHOOL-GOING POPULATION. THESE STUDENTS START LEARNING ABOUT THE SUBJECT AS PART OF THEIR CURRICULUM AT PRIMARY LEVEL AND THROUGHOUT THEIR SCHOOL CAREERS THEY HAVE A CHANCE TO TAKE PART IN HEALTH EDUCATION CONTESTS AND EXHIBITIONS PROMOTED BY THE URBAN COUNCIL.
MR STEPHEN TAM, HEAD OF THE HEALTH EDUCATION SECTION OF THE CITY SERVICES DEPARTMENT WHICH IMPLEMENTS THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD HYGIENE POLICIES OF THE COUNCIL, DESCRIBES THE STUDENTS AS THE SECTION'S +MOST IMPORTANT TARGET GROUP+.
+THEY ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF HEALTH EDUCATION NOT ONLY THROUGH THE IR SHEER NUMBERS THEY AMOUNT TO 20 PER CENT OF OUR TOTAL POPULATION - BUT BECAUSE THEY CAN ALSO BECOME OUR MOST EFFECTIVE AGENTS OF CHANGE'. THROUGH THEM, THE MESSAGE OF HEALTH EDUCATION IS SPREAD TO THE IR FAMILIES AND TO PEOPLE THEY COME IN CONTACT WITH WHEN THEY GROW UP.+
MR TAM POINTS OUT THAT TO RAISE PUBLIC HEALTH STANDARDS REQUIRES A CHANGE IN HABITS AND ATTITUDES. BUT CHANGE CANNOT BE ACHIEVED OVERNIGHT.
+THE BEST WAY TO PROMOTE IT IS THROUGH MESSAGE REPETITION, WITH FREQUENT IMAGE EXPOSURE, TO THE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TARGET GROUP OUR SCHOOL CHILDREN, HE SAID.
+THUS EVERY YEAR, THE HEALTH EDUCATION SECTION INVITES ALL SCHOOLS TO TAKE PART IN THE HEALTH EDUCATION SPEECH AND SONG CONTESTS AS WELL AS THE HEALTH EDUCATION EXHIBITION PROJECT COMPETITION.
+THROUGH THESE CONTESTS THE STUDENTS ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE ON ENVIRONMENTAL, PERSONAL AND FOOD HYGIENE.+
THIS YEAR, 158 FINALISTS FROM 110 SCHOOLS TOOK PART IN THE SPEECH CONTEST, 520 INDIVIDUAL CONTESTANTS FROM 10 SCHOOL CHOIRS IN THE SONG CONTEST AND 30 SCHOOLS IN THE HEALTH EDUCATION PROJECT EXHIBITION COMPETITION. THE PRIZE-WINNING PROJECTS WERE LATER DISPLAYED IN THE CITY HALL EXHIBITION HALL WHERE THEY WERE SEEN BY THOUSANDS OF VISITORS, THUS SPREADING THE MESSAGE EVEN MORE WIDELY.
THE HEALTH EDUCATION SECTION HAS ACCESS TO A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE THROUGH THE CONSULTANCY SERVICE IT PROVIDES IN HELPING TO DESIGN AND REVISE THE HEALTH EDUCATION CURRICULUM FOR PRIMARY SCHOOLS. IT ALSO ADVISES ON THE PRODUCTION OF EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION PROGRAMMES.
IN ADDITION,
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