TY - CHAP
T1 - Constructing Modernity
T2 - Health Education in Primary Schools in Hong Kong (1970s–1990s)
AU - Ho, Sammantha Siu Ping
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2025.
PY - 2025/3/30
Y1 - 2025/3/30
N2 - Public health issues, encompassing pandemics and chronic diseases, are intricately linked not only to medical policies but also to education. Education, in particular, plays a crucial role in fostering hygiene practices and promoting consciousness of health. During the early post-war period, Hong Kong experienced a surge in population from Mainland China coupled with a booming birth rate, leading to overcrowded living conditions that posed significant health risks, such as the outbreak of tuberculosis in the 1950s and 1960s. The densely populated society placed a growing burden on the government to meet escalating medical needs, emphasizing the importance of primary health care as a fundamental approach to health promotion and disease prevention. Aligned with the core tenets of primary health care, education serves to address prevalent health issues, foster necessary skills, and promote community and individual self-reliance. Among various educational levels, education at an early age is recognised as the foundational stage for shaping both cognitive and social development in individuals. With this in mind, the Hong Kong government has committed to integrating health education into the primary educational system to cultivate a health-conscious populace since the aftermath of World War II. Despite the transformative nature of health education in Hong Kong, there has been limited scholarly exploration of its historical trajectory. This study focuses on the period between the 1970s and 1996, encompassing the ‘MacLehose’ era and the subsequent integration of Health Education into General Studies. Through a comprehensive analysis, this chapter aims to delineate the developmental trajectory of health education in primary schools and assess its efficacy during the late twentieth century. Additionally, it seeks to provide a historical perspective on how the education of successive generations contributed to the configuration of modern society.
AB - Public health issues, encompassing pandemics and chronic diseases, are intricately linked not only to medical policies but also to education. Education, in particular, plays a crucial role in fostering hygiene practices and promoting consciousness of health. During the early post-war period, Hong Kong experienced a surge in population from Mainland China coupled with a booming birth rate, leading to overcrowded living conditions that posed significant health risks, such as the outbreak of tuberculosis in the 1950s and 1960s. The densely populated society placed a growing burden on the government to meet escalating medical needs, emphasizing the importance of primary health care as a fundamental approach to health promotion and disease prevention. Aligned with the core tenets of primary health care, education serves to address prevalent health issues, foster necessary skills, and promote community and individual self-reliance. Among various educational levels, education at an early age is recognised as the foundational stage for shaping both cognitive and social development in individuals. With this in mind, the Hong Kong government has committed to integrating health education into the primary educational system to cultivate a health-conscious populace since the aftermath of World War II. Despite the transformative nature of health education in Hong Kong, there has been limited scholarly exploration of its historical trajectory. This study focuses on the period between the 1970s and 1996, encompassing the ‘MacLehose’ era and the subsequent integration of Health Education into General Studies. Through a comprehensive analysis, this chapter aims to delineate the developmental trajectory of health education in primary schools and assess its efficacy during the late twentieth century. Additionally, it seeks to provide a historical perspective on how the education of successive generations contributed to the configuration of modern society.
KW - Health education
KW - Modernity
KW - Post-war Hong Kong
KW - Primary health
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=105002348021&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/978-981-96-0817-1_41
DO - 10.1007/978-981-96-0817-1_41
M3 - Chapter
AN - SCOPUS:105002348021
SN - 9789819608164
SN - 9789819608195
T3 - Quality of Life in Asia
SP - 691
EP - 702
BT - The Handbook of Primary Healthcare
A2 - Fong, Ben Yuk Fai
A2 - Law, Vincent Tin Sing
A2 - Lee, Albert
PB - Springer
ER -
