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The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mr Henry Tang, attended the first anti-drug seminar for teachers today (August 14).
Mr Tang was impressed by the enthusiastic participation of teachers in the seminar and in their determination to join efforts in establishing drug-free environment for students.
He assured the teachers, "You will not walk alone in the war against drugs. There are many people and organisations coming forward ready to give you solid support."
Mr Tang said Government departments would also make use of community networks to provide strong assistance.
The Chief Secretary exchanged views with some teachers on efforts to beat drugs during a break in the seminar.
The seminar is the first of four organised jointly by the Education Bureau (EDB) and the Narcotics Division, Security Bureau in August for all secondary school teachers. The seminars aim at boosting the drug knowledge of teachers and help them to master the identification and handling skills when they are dealing with high-risk students or students with a drug abuse problem.
Contents of the four seminars include briefings on the latest situation about drug preventive education presented by the representative of EDB. A representative of Hong Kong Police will speak on the drug statistics, drug-related crime and the legal consequences and the Action Committee Against Narcotics members Dr Ben Cheung and Dr David Tsang Fan-kwong will speak on the common psychotropic substances and their damage to health. Representatives of the Cheer Lutheran Centre, Community Drug Advisory Council and the Society of Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention, Hong Kong will share how they assist youths to quit drugs. Former drug abusers are invited to share their bitter experience in taking drugs.
A discussion session on "What action should the school take when a student was found taking drugs" will be held in each seminar in which attending speakers and teachers exchange views.
About 900 teachers of junior forms of secondary schools of the Kowloon region attended the seminar today. They found the seminar comprehensive and useful in understanding the latest situation of youth drug abuse problem.
The remaining seminars will be held on August 17, 18 and 19 at Queen's College, Sha Tin Government Secondary School and Tsuen Wan Government Secondary School respectively.
Ends/Friday, August 14, 2009
Issued at HKT 19:45
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