ENG-2002 — Page 209

EDUCATION

teachers, the development of a professional development framework and the continuing professional development of teachers. Open and continual dialogues with stakeholders will be maintained in mapping out the policy framework to increase community ownership and support in the change process.

Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education

The Government set up the Committee on the Promotion of Civic Education in 1986 to promote civic awareness and responsibilities in the community.

In 2002, the committee focused its efforts in promoting good citizenship, civic responsibilities, building a caring and harmonious society, volunteer services, respect for human rights and the rule of law, as well as better understanding of Chinese culture and heritage and the Basic Law.

The committee launched a series of television animation programme and a website to promote various civic education themes. Other promotional activities included telephone hotline stories, special features in newspapers and seminars on the Basic Law. Civic education reference materials including newsletters for young school children, a comic series on civic education and a 2003 calendar on good citizenship were produced during the year. The committee also conducted a survey to gauge the public's knowledge of the various aspects of civic education and measure changes in people's attitudes towards civic responsibilities and community participation.

The committee continued to implement the Community Participation Scheme with the aim of encouraging more community organisations to organise civic education activities at the district level.

Commission on Youth

The Commission on Youth was established in 1990. Its main objectives are to advise on matters pertaining to youth, initiate studies and research, promote cooperation and improvement in the provision of youth services and serve as a liaison point with other international youth organisations for exchange programmes.

Expressing concern that 90 000 young people in Hong Kong were unemployed and unable to pursue further studies, the Chief Executive asked the commission in July to develop a plan to provide the young people with pluralistic options in terms of both training and employment opportunities. The commission submitted a preliminary report to the Chief Executive in December.

During the year, the commission organised the second Youth Summit to explore ways to enhance the cultural identity of Hong Kong's young people. The commission also updated the 'Youth in Hong Kong - A Statistical Profile 1997' with commentary based on statistical data, covering six youth-related issues: poverty, substance abuse, employment and unemployment, human capital, cultural capital and social capital. The commission continued to implement youth development programmes that seek to realise the full potential of young people. These included the International Youth Exchange Programme that aimed at broadening the horizon and international perspective of young people. In 2002, three groups comprising 70 youth delegates visited Singapore, Britain and Japan under the programme. The commission also received 37 young people from Britain and Japan making return visits to Hong Kong. In addition, the commission continued to implement three funding schemes to encourage more youth groups and community organisations to participate in

161