9.
Mrs Yu said that the department had taken steps to promote preventive education in support of the multi-facet campaign mounted by the Government to beat drugs.
"We have integrated elements of drug education into our school curriculum to bring out the harmful effects of drug abuse.
"We have trained at least one teacher in every secondary school on drug education. We have issued guidelines to schools on handling drug abuse to help youngsters at risks.
"We operate a Drug Education Resources Centre to give schools advice and support," Mrs Yu said.
Furthermore, the department has mounted roving exhibitions to enhance the awareness of the problem of drug abuse and provided grants for schools and Parent- Teacher Associations to organise drug education projects.
She also noted that the department had sponsored two educators for the Life Education Activity Programme for two years to conduct drug education programmes for school children from five to 12 years of age.
Educational camps for students and young people have also been organised to spread anti-drug messages and to provide healthy pastimes, she added.
For general reference, research on the value of peer support and the role of life skills counsellors had been commissioned by the department.
The department has the duty to train the young to learn to live and guide them towards a healthy and meaningful life, Mrs Yu said.
"This includes steering them away from drug abuse and strengthening drug education in schools," she said.
With experienced experts on drug education from 10 territories gathered at the conference, Mrs Yu was confident that the two-day conference would provide much food for thought and follow-up action, and for co-operation.
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