ADULT EDUCATION BOARD - FLOWER-ARRANGEMENT AND PHOTOGRAPHY CLASSES (Request for Statement)

Mr Leong Keng Seng asked the Minister for Education whether he is aware that flower-arrangement and photography classes are being conducted by the Adult Education Board; how many students are there in each type of classes; how many teachers are teaching in these classes; what is the cost of conducting each of these classes; and whether he will make a statement as to the need for such classes.

Mr Lee Khoon Choy (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister is, of course, aware that flower-arrangement and photography courses are being conducted by the Adult Education Board. In fact, the Minister opened the first exhibition of the works of the Adult Education Board at the Victoria Memorial Hall on 8th March, 1963.

A total of 14 classes on flower arrangement with 323 students have been organised since March 1962. There are two part-time instructors for these courses, one conducted in English and the other in Mandarin.

16 courses on photography have been organised since October 1961, and 608 students have gone through these courses. Two part-time instructors are engaged in these courses, one for the English section and the other for the Chinese section.

All these classes are conducted on a self-supporting basis.

Courses on photography and flower-arrangement are primarily recreational courses which are intended to assist members of the public to make use of their leisure hours profitably. This is an important aspect of adult education especially in our society today, where trade unions have been successful in getting shorter working hours, thereby increasing the leisure hours of our workers. Some of the students of the photography courses have also been able to secure employment on the strength of the tuition given by the Board in its photography courses.

Mr Low Por Tuck (Havelock): Sir, how many of the students of the flower-arrangement classes are workers?

Mr Lee Khoon Choy: Most of them are workers, Sir.

The Prime Minister: Why are you against flowers anyway?

Mr Speaker: Order.