ENG-1992 — Page 155

EDUCATION

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to tertiary education or join the workforce after Secondary 7. The range of choices in the HKALE was enlarged by new practical and technical subjects at A-Level, and by 17 new Advanced Supplementary (AS) subjects. To help teachers prepare for the new AS-level subjects, short courses, seminars and workshops were organised and run by the Advisory Inspectorate, and by tertiary institutions with financial help from the department.

The CDC prepares, and keeps under review, teaching syllabuses for all subjects offered at the secondary level. During the year, the syllabuses for computer studies, mathematics, and home economics were revised.

Teaching guidelines and supporting materials are provided to schools for cross- curricular studies such as civic education, moral education, sex education and environ- mental education. Civic and moral education are promoted by making use of learning opportunities across the curriculum and in the extra-curricular life of the school. Sex and AIDS education is integrated into various subjects in primary and secondary schools. The aim is to enable pupils to understand sex as part of overall personal and social well- being, and not as something isolated from other aspects of behaviour. Resources for sex and AIDS education were developed and issued to schools. A newsletter, Sex Education News, was published regularly to inform teachers about sex education resources and activities. A learning pack on AIDS was issued to secondary schools in July to help teachers discuss with their pupils moral and social issues related to AIDS. A calendar card design competition was organised in December in support of the World AIDS Day.

Environmental education is promoted through relevant topics and themes in subjects such as social studies and science in primary schools; and social studies, integrated science, economics and public affairs, geography, biology, physics and chemistry in secondary schools. It is supplemented by extra-curricular activities. Guidelines on environmental education in schools were issued in July, and various activities to promote environmental education were organised by the department, some in conjunction with other government departments or voluntary agencies.

In September, two new computer subjects for the sixth form, computer studies at A-level and computer applications at AS-level, were introduced to 21 public sector schools. Senior secondary students in 370 schools took the HKCEE computer studies course, while computer literacy for Secondary 1-3 was taught in 189 schools. Students in over 75 per cent of special schools were also given the chance to learn through computers and to employ the new technology in communication and rehabilitation.

The school-based Curriculum Project Scheme, introduced in 1988, encourages practising educators to develop projects which adapt the centrally designed curriculum to meet the varied abilities and needs of pupils. Apart from producing useful curriculum materials, the scheme helps to develop curriculum development and planning skills among teachers. The scheme provides production expenses, and an award on satisfactory completion of a project. In the 1991-2 school year, 47 schools were involved and 54 projects were completed.

The school library service promotes good reading habits, cultivates the ability to study independently, and supports teaching and learning in schools. All public sector secondary schools may appoint a teacher-librarian. The annual Reading Award Scheme for secondary students attracted 33 000 participants from 212 schools. A booklet containing the winning book reports was sent to all schools for students' reference. An inter-school project competition was organised to encourage among pupils a positive attitude towards