8
Arts education vital to personal development: SBCS
The community has become increasingly aware of the importance of the arts in education and there is now growing recognition that the arts helps to enhance one's imagination, creativity and sensibility, the Secretary for Broadcasting, Culture and Sport, Mr Chau Tak-hay, said today (Thursday).
"And these are qualities vital to a person's upbringing and intellectual development," he added.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of "The Arts and Education in Hong Kong: An International Symposium", Mr Chau said the Government promoted the arts through providing financial support, education and publicity and the Hong Kong Arts Development Council had been an instrumental partner in these activities.
Apart from a seeding grant of $130 million in 1994 when the Council was established, the Government provides the Council with an annual subvention which amounts to $82 million for the financial year 1997/98, a 47 percent increase over that of last year.
An Arts and Sports Development Fund was also set up recently with a capital of $300 million to enable, among other things, the Council's Arts Education Committee and Arts Education Working Group to formulate work plans to promote arts education in schools.
"In the light of these development, today's Symposium is a timely event which can sharpen our focus on ways and measures to foster even greater recognition and acceptance of the important role of the arts both in schools and in the community," he stressed.
End
Value of manufacturers' orders-on-hand in January 1997
The value of manufacturers' orders-on-hand for local production in January 1997 decreased by 7% over a year earlier, according to the provisional results of a monthly survey released today (Thursday) by the Census and Statistics Department.
Comparing January 1997 with January 1996, the value of orders of the fabricated metal products industry increased by 10%.