Life and Society
The 21st century is a rapidly-developing era in which students face social, economic and political changes, which also bring diverse and complicated values. These have created opportunities and challenges on student personal development, learning and future careers. Schools have to provide an appropriate curriculum to cater for the needs of students on their personal growth and future development so Life and Society (S1-3) has been drawn up for this very purpose. It builds on students’ prior learning experience in General Studies at primary level, and is an integrated and updated version of Economic and Public Affairs (hereafter “EPA”) and Social Studies, which date back to the 1990s. With the advent of the first decade of the Millennium, Hong Kong has been experiencing rapid changes on the economic, social and political fronts. Facts such as greater economic integration with the mainland (particularly with the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region), opportunities and challenges brought about by rapid economic growth on the mainland, increasing global economic interdependence, greater social diversity and Hong Kong’s move towards universal suffrage for the selection of the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council will bring the next generation face to face with new social, economic and political landscapes as well as new ideologies. In a curriculum document prepared by the Curriculum Development Council the following statements were written: “…contemporary society has undergone significant changes and rapid development…” and “students…need to have an in-depth understanding of themselves, the local community, the nation and the world if they are to become confident, informed and responsible persons.”1 With the second decade just around the corner, schools must ensure that students become knowledgeable with these trends so that they can participate fully in the development of the society in the future.
The 21st century is a rapidly-developing era in which students face social, economic and political changes, which also bring diverse and complicated values. These have created opportunities and challenges on students’ personal development, learning and future careers. Schools have to provide an appropriate curriculum to cater for the needs of students on their personal growth and future development so Life and Society (S1-3) has been drawn up for this very purpose. It builds on students’ prior learning experience in General Studies at primary level, and is an integrated and updated version of Economic and Public Affairs (hereafter “EPA”) and Social Studies, which date back to the 1990s. With the advent of the first decade of the Millennium, Hong Kong has been experiencing rapid changes on the economic, social and political fronts. Facts such as greater economic integration with the mainland (particularly with the Pan-Pearl River Delta Region), opportunities and challenges brought about by rapid economic growth on the mainland, increasing global economic interdependence, greater social diversity and Hong Kong’s move towards universal suffrage for the selection of the Chief Executive and the Legislative Council will bring the next generation face to face with new social, economic and political landscapes as well as new ideologies. In a curriculum document prepared by the Curriculum Development Council the following statements were written: “…contemporary society has undergone significant changes and rapid development…” and “students…need to have an in-depth understanding of themselves, the local community, the nation and the world if they are to become confident, informed and responsible persons.”1 With the second decade just around the corner, schools must ensure that students become knowledgeable with these trends so that they can participate fully in the development of the society in the future.
.
