XN000022-1994-06-28 — Page 10

TUESDAY, JUNE 28, 1994

MR AU-YEUNG ATTRIBUTED THE ACHIEVEMENT TO HIS STAFF'S APPRECIATION OF THE NEEDS OF THE PUBLIC AND THEIR EARNEST ENDEAVOURS MADE TO FULFIL THEM.

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"I THANK TAXPAYERS FOR SHOWING UNDERSTANDING WHEN LEVELS OF SERVICES OCCASIONALLY FELL SHORT OF THE PLEDGED STANDARDS, HE SAID.

THE REPORT CONTAINS A MESSAGE FROM A USERS' COMMITTEE, ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COMPLYING WITH THE PLEDGES.

THE COMMITTEE, WITH A BROAD-BASED MEMBERSHIP DRAWN FROM THE COMMUNITY, WAS SET UP TO INDEPENDENTLY MONITOR THE OPERATION OF THE SCHEME.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC CAN OBTAIN COPIES OF THE NEW PERFORMANCE PLEDGE LEAFLET AND THE ANNUAL REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT'S ENQUIRY SERVICE CENTRE AT REVENUE TOWER, WAN CHAI, AND ITS VARIOUS COLLECTION OFFICES. COPIES WILL ALSO BE AVAILABLE FROM DISTRICT OFFICES FROM JULY

I-

GUIDELINES ON HANDLING DRUG-ABUSE IN SCHOOLS

CIRCULAR

THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WILL ISSUE A

TOMORROW (WEDNESDAY) CONTAINING GUIDELINES TO ADVISE TEACHERS AND HEADS OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS TO BE ON GUARD AGAINST DRUG ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOLS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID THE GUIDELINES WERE ISSUED FOLLOWING RECENT STATISTICS THAT INDICATED THAT THE NUMBER OF DRUG- ABUSERS AGED BELOW 21 HAD INCREASED BY 55.5 PER CENT, FROM 983 IN THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF 1992 TO 1,529 IN THE CORRESPONDING PERIOD LAST YEAR.

THE

HE SAID TEACHERS WERE REQUESTED TO ALERT THEIR STUDENTS TO GRAVE DANGERS OF INDULGING IN DRUG ACTIVITIES, AND TO REPORT TO SCHOOL AUTHORITIES ANY SUCH INSTANCES.

HE SAID HEADS OF SCHOOLS, AFTER RECEIVING SUCH REPORTS, SHOULD ENSURE THAT PARENTS WERE INFORMED AND FOLLOW-UP SERVICES WERE PROVIDED BY SUPPORTING AGENCIES INCLUDING THE NARCOTICS DIVISION AND THE POLICE IF NECESSARY.

TEACHERS SHOULD BE ALERT TO THE SIGNS EXHIBITED BY DRUG ABUSERS AND TAKE PROMPT FOLLOW-UP ACTIONS IF THEY FOUND THEIR STUDENTS WITH THE FOLLOWING SIGNS:

ABRUPT CHANGES IN SCHOOL ATTENDANCE, QUALITY OF WORK, GRADES OF DISCIPLINE;

CHANGES IN APPEARANCE AND CLEANLINESS;

STEALING VALUABLE ITEMS FROM SCHOOL OR UNUSUAL REQUEST FOR OR BORROWING MONEY FROM SCHOOLMATES;

/* POSSESSING DRUGS

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