PRIMARY ONE ADMISSIONS IN 1964 TO MALAY, CHINESE, TAMIL AND ENGLISH SCHOOLS

Mr Koo Young asked the Minister for Education to state the number of Primary One admissions in January 1964 to (1) Government Malay, Aided Malay and private Malay schools; (2) Government Chinese, Aided Chinese and private Chinese schools; (3) Government Tamil, Aided Tamil and private Tamil schools; and (4) Government English, Aided English and private English schools.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the number of children registered at the end of the registration period 10th June to 6th July, 1963, for admission to Primary I classes in Government and Government aided schools in January 1964 is as follows: - Malay Medium: Government schools 4,970 Aided schools Nil _______ Total 4,970 _______ Chinese Medium: Government schools 1,967 Aided schools 15,342 _______ Total 17,309 _______ Tamil Medium: Government schools 20 Aided schools 109 _______ Total 129 _______ English Medium: Government schools 31,394 Aided schools 5,282 ________ Total 36,676 ________ It is expected that these figures will show a slight increase when schools reopen in January 1964 when those who did not register in 1963 will be registered for admission into schools.

Apart from partially-aided purely religious schools, there are no aided schools in the Malay medium.

The Ministry of Education does not register children for admission to private schools.

Mr Tan Cheng Tong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, on the question of aided schools in the Chinese, Malay and Tamil media. Can the numbers of admissions for this year be less than those for next year?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, in the case of the Malay medium, I think there is an increase in the figure for next year over this year's figure. The total for January 1964 will be 4,970 and the total in 1963 is 4,640.

In the case of the Chinese medium, there is a very slight decrease. For January 1964 the total on the register is 17,309, whereas in 1963 the figure is 18,836.

In the case of the Tamil medium, there is also a slight decrease. In January 1964 the expected figure will be 129, whereas in 1963 it is 274. However, as I have said just now, these are registered figures, they are not actual figures of admissions, and it is likely that when schools reopen in January 1964 there will be a slight increase.

Mr Tan Cheng Tong: (In Mandarin): About the decrease in the number of students into Chinese and Tamil medium schools. Is it due to the fact that the Government has not implemented the policy of equality of treatment to these streams of education?

Mr Ong Pang Boon: I am not in a position to comment on the Tamil medium because I have not got the facts with me. But in the case of the Chinese medium, the reason for the slight decrease is because of the Barisan Sosialis Members - like the Member for Jalan Kayu - it is because of their ceaseless agitation in the Chinese schools, and because of the unrest that they have caused in the Chinese schools, so much so that the parents of the pupils there are fed up and many of them have decided, although perhaps wrongly, to send their children to some other schools. If the Member for Jalan Kayu is so concerned for the future of Chinese education, I would advise him to cease agitation in the Chinese schools.

Mr Tan Cheng Tong: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, the Minister's explanation is very unsatisfactory to me.

Mr Speaker: Is there a further question? There is no debate. If the Member has a further question, I will permit him to ask it, otherwise we will go on to the next question.

Mr Tan Cheng Tong: (In Mandarin): We Opposition Members have raised questions in order to get information, in order to understand the administration of the Government, and yet the Minister is blaming the ---

Mr Speaker: As I have pointed out earlier to the Member for Jalan Kayu, there will be no debate. If there are any further questions, I will put it. Shall we proceed to the next question? We have only got four minutes. Mr Koo Young, please?