XN000022-1996-01-31 — Page 51

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Special school for teenage drug addicts

Following is a question by the Hon Eric Li and a written reply by the Secretary for Education and Manpower, Mr Joseph W P Wong, in the Legislative Council today (Wednesday):

Question:

In October last year, the Education Department rejected the application of the Christian Ching Sang Church to establish a special school for teenage drug addicts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

Reply:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

Mr President,

(a)

of the reasons for rejecting the application of the Christian Ching Sang Church to establish the special school;

of the number of rehabilitated teenage drug addicts returning to mainstream education, as well as the number of such students who have subsequently dropped out, in each of past three years;

whether there have been any cases of a school refusing to admit rehabilitated or addicted teenagers in the past three years; if so, what is the number of such cases in each of the past three years and what are the reasons for refusal; and

whether any practical assistance is provided to rehabilitated students in helping them to integrate into mainstream education; if not, whether consideration will be given to providing additional resources and allowances for schools which have admitted rehabilitated students, requiring teachers of these students to receive special training, requesting such schools to provide special counselling to these students and arranging regular home visits?

The Christian Ching Sang Church mentioned in the question should read Christian Zheng Sheng Association. We could not support the Association's proposal to set up a special school for young drug addicts because our primary objective is to assist these young people to reintegrate into ordinary schools or the society as soon as possible. Joining a proposed special school would stigmatise them and jeopardise their early re-integration.