ADULT EDUCATION CENTRE AND JUNIOR COLLEGES (Building progress and completion dates)

Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Education what progress has been made in the building of (i) the Adult Education Centre, and (ii) the Junior Colleges, and the estimated dates for their completion.

Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the Adult Education Centre project was first submitted to the Economic Planning Unit for inclusion in the Second Five-Year Plan in August 1964. A revised project was put up by the Board in March 1965. This was supported by the Ministry and forwarded to the Economic Planning Unit. The Working Party of Permanent Secretaries, which was set up to examine all development projects for the Second Plan, approved the provision of $1.5 million for the Adult Education Centre in July 1965.

The Board prepared a new submission for inclusion of the project in the 1966 Development Estimates in March 1966. In July 1966, the Economic Planning Unit requested for additional data to evaluate the project. This was submitted on 1st September, 1966. A token vote was provided in the 1967 Development Estimates for the Adult Education Centre project. This is an indication of the low priority accorded to the project, and it does not appear likely that it will be cleared this year.

As for the Junior Colleges, piling work on the site for the first Junior College at Linden Drive has almost been completed, and the construction of this building is scheduled to commence in September. It is estimated that the College will be completed by the end of 1968. The building of two more Junior Colleges under the 1967 school building programme is under consideration. If these two projects are cleared early, it may be possible for the buildings to be completed in 1969.