XN000022-1984-12-07 — Page 11

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1984

MRS CHAN SAID THE NEW CENTRE HAD BEEN ESTABLISHED WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FROM THE LOTTERIES FUND AND THE BRADBURY CHARITABLE TRUST FUND TOWARDS ITS CAPITAL COST OF $1 MILLION.

SHE NOTED THAT THE MEMBERSHIP UNDER THE RED CROSS YOUTH PROGRAMME HAD GROWN FROM 57 IN 1956 TO OVER 6 600 NOW.

MEMBERS HAD BEEN GIVEN OPPORTUNITIES TO BE TRAINED IN A WIDE RANGE OF SKILLS AND TO HELP THE SICK, THE FRAIL AND THE LESS FORTUNATE.

IMPORTANCE OF CIVIC EDUCATION STRESSED

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CIVIC EDUCATION HAD A VITAL ROLE TO PLAY IN PROMOTING AN UNDERSTANDING OF AND CONCERN FOR THE NEW SYSTEM OF REPRESENTATIVE GOVERNMENT AND OTHER CHANGES LIKELY TO OCCUR IN HONG KONG IN THE FUTURE, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR MICHAEL LEUNG SAID TODAY (FRIDAY).

HE WAS SPEAKING AT THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE SEMINAR FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL HEADS ON CIVIC EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS HELD AT GRANTHAM COLLEGE OF EDUCATION IN KOWLOON THIS MORNING.

MR LEUNG SAID THAT IN CONSIDERING CIVIC EDUCATION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, ONE MUST NOT LOSE SIGHT OF THE NEED FOR HONG KONG TO PRESERVE THE ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS WHICH HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS STABILITY AND STEADY PROGRESS.

MR LEUNG EXPLAINED THAT IT WAS PROPOSED TO DEVELOP CIVIC EDUCATION IN THREE WAYS,

WITH REGARD TO THE FORMAL CURRICULUM, A CROSS-CURRICULAR APPROACH WAS ADVOCATED.

+ INSTEAD OF REINSTATING THE SUBJECT OF CIVICS, WE BELIEVE IT WOULD BE MORE DESIRABLE TO ENCOURAGE TEACHERS OF ALL RELEVANT SUBJECTS TO HIGHLIGHT THE ELEMENTS OF CIVIC EDUCATION AND WHAT MIGHT BE CALLED POLITICAL KNOWLEDGE AND AWARENESS IN THE IR TEACHING WHEREVER APPROPRIATE, + MR LEUNG SAID,

IN PARTICULAR, HE MENTIONED THE TEACHING OF SOCIAL STUDIES, HISTORY, CHINESE HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY, ECONOMICS, ECONOMIC AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND THE PROPOSED NEW SUBJECT GOVERNMENT AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS.

/AS FOR