XN000022-1995-06-07 — Page 75

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Health education for students

Following is a question by Dr the Hon Huang Chen-ya and a written reply by the acting Secretary for Education and Manpower, Miss Jacqueline Willis, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

Will the Government inform this Council:

(a)

of the number of hours of health education classes attended by primary and secondary school students each year;

(b)

(c)

(d)

what plans have been drawn up by the Education Department to improve and update the syllabus of primary school health education which has not been revised since the publication of its first edition in 1980; and

what education do secondary school students receive regarding the prevention of critical illnesses like AIDS, heart disease, stroke and

cancer;

what qualifications teachers of health education are required to possess and what continuous training they receive?

Reply:

Mr President.

(a)

For primary schools, the average number of hours on health education attended by students is 25 each year. In secondary schools, health education is taught through formal subjects (e.g. Social Studies, Biology etc), cross-curricular lessons on selected topics (e.g. sex education, civic education etc) as well as through the informal curriculum. The number of hours devoted to health education varies with the class level and with the individual school, ranging from 40 hours to over 80 hours per student per year.

In addition, many primary and secondary schools organise informal sessions on health related topics for their students.