WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1994
REPLY
37
SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
* * * * *
FOLLOWING IS A QUESTION BY THE HON TIK CHI-YUEN AND A WRITTEN BY THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, MR MICHAEL
IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY):
LEUNG,
QUESTION: REGARDING THE FINDINGS OF A RECENT STUDY BY THE CHINESE UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG WHICH INDICATES A PRECOCITY OF THE PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL CHILDREN, WILL THE GOVERNMENT INFORM THIS COUNCIL WHETHER:
(A) A REVIEW OF THE EXISTING CONTENTS AND MODES OF PRESENTATION OF SEX EDUCATION COURSES IN BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL BE MADE;
(B) THE TEACHING OF SEX EDUCATION WILL BE ADVANCED TO THE
PRE-PRIMARY V CLASSES?
REPLY:
MR PRESIDENT,
(A)
(B)
SEX EDUCATION IS PRESENTLY TAUGHT IN A NUMBER OF SUBJECTS ON A CROSS CURRICULA BASIS IN BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS. IT AIMS TO ENABLE SCHOOL CHILDREN TO UNDERSTAND SEX AS PART OF A PERSON'S TOTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING. THE CURRICULA ARE UNDER REGULAR REVIEW AND CHANGES ARE INTRODUCED NECESSARY. FOR EXAMPLE. THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT CONDUCTING A SURVEY ON THE KNOWLEDGE AND ATTITUDE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS ON SEX AND SEX EDUCATION AND INTENDS TO REVIEW ITS GUIDELINES ON THE SUBJECT ON THE BASIS OF THE INFORMATION SO OBTAINED.
AS
IS
OF
WHILE
SUBJECTS CONTAINING ELEMENTS OF SEX EDUCATION (E.G. HEALTH EDUCATION) ARE TAUGHT FROM PRIMARY 1 ONWARDS, PUPILS ARE TAUGHT THE PHYSICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE SEXES AT PRIMARY 4. SOME SCHOOLS ALSO PREPARE SPECIAL PROGRAMMES OR HOLD TALKS AND DISCUSSION ΤΟ PREPARE PUPILS FOR PUBERTY AND ADOLESCENCE AT AROUND PRIMARY 5.
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