XN000022-1986-09-12 — Page 4

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1986

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BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS IN SCHOOLS DECREASE

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THE INCIDENCE OF UNRULY AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN 1984-85 DECREASED 3.5 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH THE YEAR BEFORE, A SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON UNRULY AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOLS REVEALED. THIS IS THE THIRD SUCH SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE COMMITTEE.

ABOUT 6.5 PER CENT OF THE SECONDARY SCHOOL POPULATION WAS INVOLVED IN UNRULY AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR. THE LEVEL WAS THE SAME AS IN THE PREVIOUS TWO SURVEYS CARRIED OUT IN 1982 AND 1983. THE 1984-85 SURVEY COVERED ALL SECONDARY DAY SCHOOLS IN HONG KONG AND THERE WAS A 99 PER CENT RESPONSE RATE.

OF THE 144 977 INCIDENTS REPORTED IN THE 1984-85 SCHOOL YEAR, 127 752 (88 PER CENT) WERE CLASSIFIED AS UNRULY BEHAVIOUR, THE MORE COMMON TYPES BEING HABITUAL LATENESS (19.1 PER CENT), DISCIPLINARY OFFENCES TO ATTRACT ATTENTION (17.4 PER CENT) AND

INSOLENT OR REBELLIOUS BEHAVIOUR (15.2 PER CENT).

THE REMAINING 17 225 CASES, ACCOUNTING FOR 12 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF INCIDENTS REPORTED, RELATED TO DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR! THE MORE COMMON TYPES BEING ACTS OF PHYSICAL VIOLENCE (29.9 PER CENT) OF DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR), GAMBLING (24.2 PER CENT) AND STEALING (23.5 PER CENT).

WHILE MOST TYPES OF UNRULY AND DELINQUENT BEHAVIOUR SHOWED A DROP WHEN COMPARED WITH 1983-84, POSSESSION OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS REGISTERED A 178 PER CENT INCREASE. THERE WERE 1 501 CASES REPORTED IN 1984-85 COMPARED WITH 540 THE PREVIOUS YEAR. THIS IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE AVAILABILITY OF SUCH MATERIALS ON SALE AT NEWS STANDS.

AN EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE RATE OF INCREASE IN POSSESSION OF PORNOGRAPHIC MATERIALS LEVELLED OFF IN THE LAST ROUND OF THE 1984-85 SURVEY.

THIS WAS POSSIBLY DUE TO THE EFFECT OF POLICE ACTION TO CRACK DOWN ON OBJECTIONABLE PUBLICATIONS STARTING IN MAY 1985 AND THE MORE STRINGENT MEASURES ADOPTED BY SCHOOLS TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM.

AS IN THE PREVIOUS TWO SURVEYS, THE ONE FOR 1984-85 SHOWED THAT PUPILS IN FORM/MIDDLE I TO 111, IN PARTICULAR THOSE IN FORM/MIDDLE II, WERE MORE PRONE TO COMMITTING UNRULY AND DEL INQUENT BEHAVIOUR.

+TO ASSIST SCHOOLS TO DEAL WITH THESE PROBLEMS, THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT HAS BEEN GIVING ADVICE TO SCHOOLS ON WAYS OF ORGANISING GUIDANCE AND COUNSELLING SYSTEMS WITHIN SCHOOLS, + THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

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