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The Chairman of the Action Committee Against Narcotics (ACAN), Professor Daniel Shek, and the Commissioner for Narcotics, Mrs Erika Hui, today (October 27) visited students from Kowloon Technical School who were participating in activities of Healthy School Programme with a Drug Testing Component (HSP(DT)) at Po Leung Kuk Pak Tam Chung Holiday Camp. They encouraged students to help promote a drug-free and healthy school culture.
At a pledging ceremony for the school's Health Ambassadors Training Camp, Professor Shek and Mrs Hui encouraged students to develop a healthy lifestyle and positive values and work together to promote anti-drug messages and a healthy culture both inside and outside the school campus. They presented certificates of appointment to 20 health ambassadors and witnessed their pledge to fully devote themselves to the training of health ambassadors, be determined to resist drugs and strive to promote anti-drug messages.
"ACAN fully supports the HSP(DT), which has built on the experience of the Trial Scheme on School Drug Testing in Tai Po District to further promote the healthy school policy in a holistic manner. The programme aims at strengthening the resilience of students to help them stay away from drugs and grow up healthily," said Professor Shek. He encouraged students to help each other and contribute to a drug-free culture at school.
Mrs Hui visited another participating school of the HSP(DT) - Belilios Public School on October 25 - to learn more about its implementation of the HSP(DT). While there she saw two of the school's activities designed to help promote healthy development of students.
Mrs Hui expressed gratitude to the two schools for their support for the HSP(DT) and for playing a leading role in its implementation. Talking to students who took part in the HSP(DT) activities, she shared with them tips on leading a healthy lifestyle and encouraged them to actively participate in a wide range of anti-drug activities to broaden their horizons, strengthen their resilience and build up a positive attitude when facing challenges. She called on the students to stay away from drugs and support initiatives in building an anti-drug culture in the community.
"The HSP(DT) is a school-based programme comprising both diversified personal growth programmes and a drug testing component to help students grow up healthily. I am glad to see students actively participating in healthy school activities. Through games and sharing sessions, they acquire better understanding of the harmful effects of drugs. These activities can help students develop a positive outlook on life and values, as well as help them develop healthy habits, reinforce their determination to stay away from drugs, and prevent the spread of drugs on campus," said Mrs Hui.
Kowloon Technical School and Belilios Public School are two of the first batch of schools funded by the Beat Drugs Fund to implement the HSP(DT) this school year. In addition to school drug testing, schools will also organise preventive education and health development activities for students, including adventure pursuits and training as school health ambassadors, which can help students build a positive outlook and values in life and enhance their resilience to adversity.
Mrs Hui urged interested schools and non-governmental organisations to apply for funding from the Beat Drugs Fund to implement the programme. More details on HSP(DT) are available at the following website: www.nd.gov.hk/en/beat.htm.
Ends/Thursday, October 27, 2011
Issued at HKT 17:58
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