IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EDUCATION PLAN AND ESTIMATES OF ITS COST

Mr John Ede asked the Minister for Education whether he will outline the stages by which the Government proposes to implement the education plan given in the White Paper, together with estimates of its cost.

Mr Chew Swee Kee: The education policy is being implemented rather by simultaneous and continuous development over the whole field of education than by clearly defined and consecutive stages. However, since the most serious weakness in the present system is in the administration of grants-in-aid, especially to Chinese schools, attention is being concentrated first on the preliminary measures which must be taken before any satisfactory long term development of the grant system is possible. These measures are: -

(1) to expand the administration and the inspectorate to ensure that grants-in-aid are well spent and properly accounted for;

(2) to assess teachers' qualifications and service not previously recognised;

(3) to draft a new Education Ordinance and Grant Code and Regulations.

Meanwhile the requests from some Chinese Schools for ad hoc building grants are being considered.

At the same time committees are working on the revision of syllabuses and text-books for all subjects, including Civics, and on the provision of religious or ethical instruction in all schools.

Consideration is also being given to the composition of the new Educational Advisory Council, which will be formally constituted under the new Education Ordinance.

Evening classes for pupils who failed to gain admission to secondary schools have already started. There are now 11 classes with some 400 pupils, and the system can be greatly extended if necessary.

General development plans which have just been prepared include the building of enough primary schools to ensure that no child need leave school till he is 14; of some 4 secondary schools a year to include academic, technical and trade schools for pupils from all types of primary school; of a new Teachers' Training College similar to the Paterson Road College; and of the Polytechnic.

These development plans, if fully carried out, would involve a capital expenditure over the next 5 years of some $70 million and an annual recurrent expenditure rising over the same period to over $100 million.

But it should be clearly understood that this programme can only be carried out in full -

(a) if the necessary teachers can be recruited, trained and retained;

(b) if enough suitable sites can be acquired and cleared;

(c) if the work is within the Colony's building capacity; and

(d) if Government can provide the necessary funds.

The cost to Government will also depend on how many Chinese schools are to receive full grant-in-aid.