XN000022-1977-08-21 — Page 2

SUNDAY, AUGUST 21, 1977

DRUG EDUCATION ON ETV PROGRAMME

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MORE THAN 70,000 FORM II STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO LEARN ABOUT DRUG EDUCATION THROUGH TELEVISION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR.

IN A JOINT VENTURE THE EDUCATIONAL TELEVISION DIVISION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND RADIO TELEVISION HONG KONG HAVE RECENTLY PRODUCED AN ETV PROGRAMME ON DRUGS.

THE PROGRAMME, LASTING 20 MINUTES, DESCRIBES DIFFERENT KINDS OF DRUGS AND TELLS THE STORY OF A DRUG ADDICT.

IT WILL BE READY FOR RELEASE IN OCTOBER.

THROUGH GRAPHICS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, THE STUDENTS WILL BE TOLD THAT THE MISUSE OF CERTAIN DRUGS, SUCH AS

PEP PILLS, STIMULANTS, LSD, OPIUM AND HEROIN WILL CAUSE ALL SORTS OF ILL EFFECTS OR EVEN DEATHS.

THE PROGRAMME WILL BE USED AS AN AID TO TEACHERS TEACHING SOCIAL STUDIES.

DRUG EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS, REGARDED BY MANY WORLD ANTI- NARCOTICS EXPERTS AS IMPORTANT, HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE LOCAL SCHOOL SYLLABUSES FOR PRIMARY 6 TO FORM 111 CLASSES.

THE REASON FOR INTRODUCING DRUG EDUCATION IN THESE CLASSES, A NARCOTICS DIVISION SPOKESMAN EXPLAINED, IS BECAUSE STUDENTS AT THIS STAGE ARE QUITE INTELLIGENTLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY MATURE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE THE KNOWLEDGE.

+HOWEVER, HE ADDED, +CAUTIOUS MEASURES ARE TAKEN NOT TO 'SQUEEZE' TOO MUCH STUFF INTO THEIR MINDS WHICH MAY PROVOKE THE IR CURIOSITY AND STIMULATE THEM TO TRY DRUGS.+

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT'S SYLLABUSES ON DRUG EDUCATION ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE SOME GUIDELINES FOR TEACHERS WHO WILL DISSEMINATE THE KNOWLEDGE TO THE STUDENTS STEP BY STEP.

TO FURNISH TEACHERS WITH DRUG INFORMATION, COPIES OF THE ACTION COMMITTEE AGAINST NARCOTICS (ACAN) REPORTS ARE DISTRIBUTED TO SCHOOLS FOR REFERENCE.

COUPLED WITH THIS, OFFICIALS FROM THE NARCOTICS DIVISION OF THE GOVERNMENT SECRÉTARIAT VISIT SCHOOLS, GIVING LECTURES AND ARRANGING FILM SHOWS FOR THE TEACHING STAFF.

THE NARCOTICS DIVISION ALSO PLANS TO HOLD A DRUG SEMINAR FOR TEACHERS DURING THE SHAM SHUI PO DISTRICT ANTI-NARCOTICS CAMPAIGN IN LATE OCTOBER.

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