XN000022-1992-01-22 — Page 15

13

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, 1992

HE SAID SOCIAL

WORKERS

IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND STUDENT INITIAL SUPPORT ΤΟ

GUIDANCE OFFICERS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS PROVIDE THE STUDENTS UNDER STRESS.

"ALL STUDENTS KNOWN TO HAVE SUICIDAL TENDENCIES PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES BY EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS, COUNSELLORS OR MEDICAL SOCIAL WORKERS.

OR

"SERVER CASES ARE BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE PSYCHIATRISTS OR CHILD PSYCHIATRISTS," MR CHAN SAID.

ARE GIVEN CLINICAL

GOVERNMENT

HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE WITHIN THE TIME AVAILABLE TO QUANTIFY THE RESOURCES DEPLOYED BY THE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES INVOLVED SINCE THE SUPPORT NETWORK IS COMPLEX AND INCLUDES A RANGE OF PROFESSIONAL AND OTHER STAFF IN A VARIETY OF SITUATIONS AND WITH DIFFERING DEGREES OF INVOLVEMENT.

MR CHAN SAID THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT RUNS SEMINARS FOR TEACHERS ON A DISTRICT BASIS ON THE SUBJECT OF HELPING PUPILS COPE WITH STRESS.

A GUIDANCE TEACHERS RESOURCES BOOK CONTAINING SUGGESTED TECHNIQUES IN MANAGING STUDENT BEHAVIOUR IN SCHOOLS WAS PUBLISHED AND DISTRIBUTED IN NOVEMBER 1991 TO GUIDANCE TEACHERS AND STUDENT GUIDANCE OFFICERS.

"THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL ALSO BE ISSUING IN THE NEAR FUTURE A CIRCULAR TO BOTH PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS

ΤΟ ENCOURAGE A POSITIVE APPROACH IN THE MANAGEMENT OF STUDENT PROBLEMS, WHICH WILL EMPHASISE THE IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING COMMUNICATION AMONG TEACHERS, PARENTS AND STUDENTS," HE ADDED.

MR CHAN SAID TRAINING PROGRAMMES AT TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS` OR IN-SERVICE TRAINING COURSES ORGANISED BY THE SOCIAL WELFARE DEPARTMENT INCLUDE THE SUBJECTS OF MENTAL HEALTH AND THE SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUTHS.

COURSES ON STRESS MANAGEMENT AND INTERVENTION SKILLS ARE ALSO ORGANISED REGULARLY BY THE TRAINING SECTION OF THE DEPARTMENT, HE ADDED.

ACCORDING TO MR CHAN, THE "WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH” RECOMMENDED IN THE EDUCATION COMMISSION REPORT NO. 4 IS AIMED AT CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT IN SCHOOLS IN WHICH STUDENT PROBLEMS ARE RESPONDED TO QUICKLY AND IN A POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE MANNER.

HE SAID: "ALTHOUGH THE CAUSES OF SUICIDE ARE USUALLY MULTI-FACETED, A SYMPATHETIC AND POSITIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT PROPOSED BY THE • WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH' SHOULD ALLEVIATE PRESSURES EXPERIENCED BY STUDENTS.

"TO INTRODUCE THE CONCEPT OF THE WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH TO SCHOOL HEADS AND TEACHERS, AND то SET THE CLIMATE FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION, INTENSIVE WORKSHOPS FOR TRAINERS AND SCHOOL HEADS HAVE BEEN PROVIDED IN THE 1990/91 AND 1991/92 SCHOOL YEARS.

/HE SAID