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Led by Chief Executive Mr Donald Tsang, more than 4 000 secondary and primary students pledged to stand firm against drugs at the opening ceremony of the "Build a Healthy School Together" project today (February 25).
The project is a two-year large-scale education and publicity programme against youth drug abuse organised by the Hong Kong Police Force and the Hong Kong Catholic Diocesan School Council, with the assistance of community dignitaries, government departments, drug treatment and rehabilitation centres, community organisations and drama societies. This is one of the Police anti-drug programmes engaging different sectors of the community.
About 90 000 students from some 130 primary and secondary schools will participate in the project in the coming two years. Apart from exhibitions, interactive drama performances, anti-drug sharing sessions with police volunteers, eight E-learning packages have been produced for students to acquire online anti-drug knowledge in class. Some 300 police volunteers will assist in carrying out the project.
Officiating at the ceremony, the Chief Executive said the project could enable students, teachers and parents to learn more about the harm of taking drugs and instil in young people a positive outlook on life to resist drugs.
Mr Tsang commended police volunteers for their participation in the project. "They use their own time to help with this meaningful project, including preparing anti-drug materials for the dramas, liaising with schools and sharing anti-drug information with students," he said.
The Chief Executive also thanked participating organisations for fulfilling their social responsibility to help young people pursue a healthy life. He said the anti-drug work would only succeed with the support of all sectors.
Other officiating guests included Project Steering Committee Advisors, Dr Lee Yuk-lun and Mr Ng Siu-keung; the Secretary for Education, Mr Michael Suen; the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Mr Tang Kam-moon; the Chairman of Action Committee against Narcotics, Professor Daniel Shek Tan-lei; the Commissioner for Narcotics, Ms Sally Wong; Vicar General of the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, Rev Dominic Chan; and Police Chief Superintendent of Narcotics Bureau, Mr John Ribeiro.
Apart from game booths and Police Dog Unit performances, primary and secondary students sang anti-drug theme songs "Stand Firm" and "Stand by me Everyday" at the ceremony. Also, the trailer of the online anti-drug video was premiered.
Concluding the event, Mr Tsang together with participating students said "No" to drugs to demonstrate their support for the anti-drug cause.
Police Report No. 20
Ends/Friday, February 25, 2011
Issued at HKT 19:17
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