SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Mr John Ede asked the Minister for Education (i) whether the work of construction of all six secondary schools approved in the 1955 Estimates has commenced; (ii) how many students each school will accommodate; and (iii) the approximate date for the completion of these schools.

Mr Chew Swee Kee: The six secondary schools referred to are presumably Cedar Avenue, Bukit Timah, Kim Seng Road, Dunearn Road, Raffles Institution and Raffles Girls' School. Plans for Cedar Avenue and Bukit Timah have been approved and tenders are to be called for. For Kim Seng Road and Dunearn Road, layout plans are with the Commissioner of Lands, but negotiations for the purchase of the sites have not been completed. For Raffles Institution and Raffles Girls' School, plans have been held up because of a change in the policy of resiting Raffles Institution.

Mr John Ede: Sir, will the Minister give an assurance that all these secondary schools not so far started will be completed in 1956?

Mr Chew Swee Kee: They will be completed as early as possible in 1956.

Mr Nair: Sir, will the Hon. the Minister kindly prepare a progress report of the building programme of schools and submit it to the Assembly for the information of all Members?

Mr Speaker: It is a different question, Mr Nair.