PAYA LEBAR (Integrated Secondary and Secondary Technical Schools)

Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Education whether an integrated Secondary School and a Secondary Technical School will be built in the Paya Lebar Constituency.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, there are no plans for the building of secondary schools in the Paya Lebar Constituency under the Second Plan.

The International Airport takes up a quarter of the area covered by this constituency. Whilst the remaining areas are densely settled, it has not been possible to acquire a suitable site within this constituency for development into a secondary school, and the residents living in this constituency are being served by secondary schools in the neighbouring areas. One secondary school is being built at Lowland Road, whilst construction work on another secondary school in Mount Vernon Road will begin shortly. These two secondary schools are just outside the boundary of the Paya Lebar Constituency and within walking distance for students living in that constituency.

Mr Tay Boon Too (Paya Lebar): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, I would like to ask a supplementary question.

The point I would like to raise is that I regret that the Minister for Education does not see fit to set up the secondary schools as requested by me. There are quite a number of residents in this constituency. If there are not enough secondary schools, then -

Mr Speaker: I must draw the hon. Member's attention to the rules which require his supplementary question to be a genuine supplementary question and not a speech of complaint about the inadequacy of the Minister's answer. Could the hon. Member frame a question, please?

Mr Tay Boon Too: (In Mandarin): Thank you for your direction, Sir. It is very clear that if there is no integrated secondary school in the Paya Lebar Constituency, then it will be a great inconvenience to the residents.

The point is that in the Paya Lebar Constituency, there are no means of communication, no crossroads, not even pirate taxis. Under such conditions, it is very difficult for the residents to send their children to schools outside the constituency. So I feel that it is rather inconvenient in respect of time and other -

Mr Speaker: Mr Tay, I regret I have to rule you out of order again. You may well have a genuine complaint, and should you require it, I am sure the Clerk will give you every guidance on how you can raise it on a motion for adjournment or by some other device. But at the moment, I can only permit you to ask a supplementary question and no further. Do you have a supplementary question, Mr Tay?

Mr Tay Boon Too: (In Mandarin): That is what I wanted to say - nothing more.