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The Education Bureau today (September 10) held the launch ceremony for the 2009 "My Pledge to Act - To Build a Harmonious Community through Care for Others and Integrity" at Kiangsu-Chekiang College (Shatin).
The aim of the ceremony was to rally the concerted efforts of parents, schools and the community to help students develop positive values and attitudes, as well as to arouse their awareness of the importance of caring the others and integrity.
About 600 students of Kiangsu-Chekiang College (Shatin) participated in the launch ceremony at the assembly hall while another 600 students watched the ceremony in their classrooms through the school intranet system.
The Education Bureau is committed to helping students develop positive values and attitudes. In 2008, the Education Bureau revised and enhanced the Moral and Civic Education Curriculum Framework by adding two priority values, "Care for Others" and "Integrity". This led to the theme of the Pledge Day for the new school year being "My Pledge To Act - To Build a Harmonious Community through Care for Others and Integrity". The objectives are to encourage students to become committed and responsible citizens contributing to the building of a harmonious family, community and nation.
Officiating guests came from different sectors of the community to signify the concerted efforts in promoting moral education. They were the Principal Assistant Secretary (Curriculum Development) of the Education Bureau, Dr Cheung Kwok-wah; President of the Association of Women Accountants (Hong Kong) Limited and member of the Hong Kong Institute of CPAs Council, Ms Mabel M B Chan; Member of the Action Committee Against Narcotics and member of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research, Ms Amy Blanche Tang Oi-lam; Principal of Kiangsu-Chekiang College (Shatin), Mr Chan Hon-ling; and Chairlady of the Parent-Teacher Association of Kiangsu-Chekiang College (Shatin), Ms Hui Po-chu. Apart from sharing their views on care and integrity with all the students and teachers of the schools, the guests also read the pledge and signed the pledge form with students.
In response to the long-term measures recommended by Team Clean, the then Education and Manpower Bureau initiated My Pledge Day with "My Pledge to Act - Live Hygiene Live Health" in 2003. The objectives were to enhance students' awareness of health, to encourage them to lead a healthy lifestyle and develop their civic responsibility and social commitment. To sustain the efforts, the Education Bureau encourages all schools to organise a Pledge Day every school year. The Pledge Days organised from the school years 2003 to 2009 were well-received with participation and support from kindergartens, primary and secondary schools.
Schools are encouraged to organise the Pledge Day at the beginning of the new school year, and to include implementation strategies in school plans to help students realise the pledge. To help schools map out their implementation plans, resources are available on the Education Bureau's Moral and Civic Education webpage (www.edb.gov.hk/cd/mce) for teachers' reference.
Ends/Thursday, September 10, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:00
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