XN000022-1980-12-13 — Page 3

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SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1980

STUDENT GUIDANCE HELPS PREVENT JUVENILE DELINQUENCY

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ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL WELFARE, MRS EVELYN DOE, SAID TODAY THE STUDENT GUIDANCE SERVICE PLAYED A POSITIVE ROLE IN PREVENTING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY.

SHE WAS SPEAKING AT THE CLOSING CEREMONY OF A 13-WEEK PRE- SERVICE TRAINING COURSE JOINTLY ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE AND EDUCATION DEPARTMENTS FOR 50 STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS AT THE LADY TRENCH TRAINING CENTRE.

WORK.

MRS DOE SAID THE SERVICE WAS BOTH PREVENTIVE AND REMEDIAL

IN THEIR CONTACTS WITH STUDENTS THROUGH INTERVIEWS, HOME VISITS AND GROUP ACTIVITIES, SHE SAID, STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS DETECT AT AN EARLY STAGE PROBLEMS THAT MAY AFFECT THEIR PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEVELOPMENT.

THEY HELP THESE STUDENTS OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES BY GIVING THEM PERSONAL, EDUCATIONAL AND VOCATIONAL GUIDANCE, SHE SAID.

+AT A TIME WHEN THE JUVENILE CRIME RATE IS ON THE INCREASE, THE IR SERVICE PLAYS A POSITIVE ROLE IN PREVENTING JUVENILE DELINQUENCY THROUGH HELPING STUDENTS WITH BEHAVIOURAL OR OTHER PROBLEMS, SHE ADDED.

MRS DOE POINTED OUT THAT THE WORK OF STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS WAS BOTH HEAVY AND CHALLENGING.

JUDGING FROM THE RATIO OF ONE OFFICER FOR EVERY 2 000

PRIMARY STUDENTS IN RURAL AREAS AND ONE FOR EVERY 3 000 IN URBAN AREAS, THE 50 GRADUATING OFFICERS WOULD SERVE OVER 100 000 SCHOOL CHILDREN, SHE SAID.

SHE TOLD THE GRADUATES TO COMBINE THEORETICAL TRAINING WITH THE IR OWN TEACHING EXPERIENCE AND OBSERVATION TO MAXIMISE THE EFFECT OF THEIR SERVICE.

IN ADDITION, SHE SAID, THEY NEED TO KEEP CLOSE TOUCH AND COOPERATE WITH THE PROFESSIONAL WORKERS IN THE FIELDS OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK.

FOR INSTANCE IN CASEWORK, SHE ADDED, THERE ARE STUDENT GUIDANCE CONSULTING-RECEIVING OFFICERS IN EACH DISTRICT BOTH FROM HER DEPARTMENT AND THE VOLUNTARY SECTOR TO PROVIDE A BACK-UP SERVICE.

MRS DOE SAID SCHOOL SOCIAL WORK SERVICE WAS ONE OF THE IMPORTANT AREAS OF SOCIAL WELFARE SERVICES WHICH HAD SHOWN MARKED DEVELOPMENT IN PAST YEARS.

SHE SAID THE SERVICE WAS PROVIDED IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS BY SOCIAL WORKERS FROM THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND VOLUNTARY AGENCIES AND IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS, BY STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT.

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