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In response to media enquiries in relation to a suspected drug abuse case that happened last Friday (February 27) in a school in Sheung Shui, a government spokesman said today (March 2):
"The Administration is very concerned about the problem of youth drug abuse. The Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse, led by the Secretary for Justice, was set up in October 2007 to deal with the problem proactively.
Following the recommendations of the Task Force on Youth Drug Abuse, the Education Bureau (EDB) together with the Narcotics Division (ND) and the departments concerned are working together in the following four areas:
(1) promote all schools to adopt a school-based healthy school policy with an anti-drug element, having regard to the development needs of students, to foster a caring culture and an amicable atmosphere and to encourage students to lead a healthy life;
(2) strengthen preventive education programmes and measures for students. They include reviewing and strengthening anti-drug elements in various Key Learning Areas and subjects, encouraging students to engage in Other Learning Experiences, organising anti-drug talks for students, helping students cultivate a healthy life style and a positive attitude towards life, as well as enhancing their capability to handle adversities with a proper attitude and skills;
(3) provide assistance to schools in identifying high-risk students and reviewing the current mechanism for rendering appropriate assistance, arranging timely referral, and taking follow-up actions. We also encourage schools to adopt an integrated approach for student guidance and discipline services and foster students' whole-person development; and
(4) strengthen the support for schools. This includes providing resource kits for school personnel and parents, enhancing the professional development of teachers and principals, increasing the number of police school liaison officers, and strengthening the co-operation between parents and schools.
The ND has commissioned non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to develop two resource kits targeting parents and the school sector. The resource kits for the school sector would help the school management devise a healthy school policy with an anti-drug element; help class and subject teachers deliver drug education and identify students at risk; and provide useful guidelines to help guidance and discipline teachers and school social workers handle cases involving at-risk and drug abusing students.
Starting from the 2008-09 school year, the ND and the EDB has enhanced the provision of structured professional training for teachers to reinforce their competence and knowledge in delivering drug education and handling at-risk students. The training programme aims to cover all local schools within five years. The ND and the EDB are working with NGOs concerned to run the teacher training programmes in the 2008-09 school year.
Parents play a vital role in preventing youth drug abuse. While parents care for their children, they might not know how to communicate effectively with their children. In addition, parents might not have enough knowledge of drugs and skills to tackle children with drug abuse problems.
Home-school co-operation can play a significant part in this regard. The ND is working with the departments concerned to develop an anti-drug resource kit for parents to help schools and parent-teacher associations in planning and implementing anti-drug programmes for parents, to improve their communication skills with children and their skills in taking care of children with drug abuse problems. The production of the resource kit is underway and is scheduled for completion by April this year.
The Police have also strengthened their co-operation with schools. 27 new posts of police school liaison officers have been added to enhance the co-ordination among the Police, schools, social workers and the community, assist in drug preventive education, provide early support for high-risk students, and follow up on drug abuse cases.
The ND and Police will work with District Fight Crime Committees and different associations to further publicise the serious consequences of drug trafficking and encourage the youth to stay from drugs.
In addition, the Task Force has recommended the introduction of a school-based drug testing scheme for voluntary adoption. The purpose of the scheme is to enable early intervention for treatment and rehabilitation. A research project will be commissioned this year and a pilot scheme will be conducted in several representative local schools in 2010.
The ND will continue to work closely with different government departments, NGOs and the communities to tackle the problem of youth drug abuse, with a view to preventing young people from falling into the silent traps of drugs.
The ND appeals to all schools to put extra efforts in introducing the healthy school policy so as to enhance students' ability to refuse drugs. In case an incident of drug abuse occurs in school, the Administration will provide appropriate assistance as far as possible.
The ND also urges parents to build an amicable relationship with their children. They should pay attention to their children's health and seek help where necessary. The enquiry number of the ND is 2366 8822 and the website is www.nd.gov.hk."
Ends/Monday, March 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 21:50
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