FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 1986
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+ALTHOUGH EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETINGS TAKE PLACE BEHIND CLOSED DOORS, DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE COUNCIL ARE PUBLICISED ON A REGULAR AND SYSTEMATIC BASIS, HE SAID.
MR WIGGHAM SAID WIDE PRESS COVERAGE WAS OFTEN GIVEN TO MATTERS OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE WHICH HAD ENABLED THE PUBLIC TO BECOME AWARE OF AND UNDERSTAND BETTER HOW THE SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT WORKED.
+THE CITY AND NEW TERRITORIES ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORTS IN THE PROMOTION OF CIVIC EDUCATION HAVE BEEN CONCENTRATED ON PUBLICISING THE WORK OF DISTRICT BOARDS AND THE PART PLAYED BY DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION IN HONG KONG'S SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT,+ HE SAID.
+ IN ADDITION TO SUCH PUBLICITY ACTIVITIES, CAMPAIGNS TO ENCOURAGE VOTER REGISTRATION, THE NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES AND VOTER TURNOUT AT DISTRICT BOARD AND OTHER ELECTIONS ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT PART IN FOSTERING A SENSE OF CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY AMONG MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC. THUS HELPING TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF CIVIC EDUCATION, HE ADDED.
MR WIGGHAM SAID CIVIC EDUCATION COULD ALSO BE PROMOTED THROUGH PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY AFFAIRS AND ACTIVITIES,
HE SAID THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN UNDERTAKING DIFFERENT ACTIVITIES TO PROMOTE CIVIC EDUCATION FOR MANY YEARS, AND WOULD CONTINUE TO UPDATE THESE ACTIVITIES IN RESPONSE TO THE DEMANDS OF CHANGING CIRCUMSTANCES.
THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS FIELD IS MAINLY ONE OF DISSEMINATING INFORMATION ON THE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT MACHINERY AND ANY CHANGES IN THE LAW OR POLICIES, THE ORGANISATION OF PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS ON SPECIFIC SUBJECTS WHICH PROMOTE AN AWARENESS OF CIVIC AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES, AND THE ENCOURAGEMENT OF MORE COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN THE ORGANISATION OF CIVIC EDUCATION ACTIVITIES.
+SUCH ACTIVITIES ARE MORE EFFECTIVE WHEN ORGANISED NOT BY THE GOVERNMENT BUT VOLUNTARILY BY PUBLIC AND NON-GOVERNMENT BODIES AND ORGANISATIONS, + HE SAID.
MR WIGGHAM SAID AN INTER-DEPARTMENTAL CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE WAS SET UP LATE LAST YEAR TO MONITOR AND CO-ORDINATE GOVERNMENT ACTIVITIES IN THE FIELD OF CIVIC EDUCATION OUTSIDE SCHOOLS, AND A MAJOR TERRITORY PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN ON CIVIC EDUCATION WOULD BE MOUNTED IN 1986-87.
HE SAID THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAD BEEN PROMOTING CIVIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS FOR MANY YEARS THROUGH COURSES ON SOCIAL STUDIES AND ON ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.
THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT ISSUED A SET OF +GUIDELINES FOR CIVIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS+ LAST AUGUST, AND A CIVIC EDUCATION CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE HAS BEEN FORMED IN EACH COLLEGE OF EDUCATION TO ENSURE THAT FUTURE TEACHERS ARE TRAINED TO IMPLEMENT THE GUIDELINES.
/+BINCE THE