COMPULSORY PARTICIPATION IN EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Education if he will consider making adequate participation in the pugilistic arts, sports or in a cadet corps, or any other similar activity compulsory in secondary schools as a means of hastening the building of a rugged society.

The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Education (Dr Lee Chiaw Meng) (for the Minister for Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, I have been asked by my Minister to reply. My Ministry does not propose to compel every secondary school student to take part in one of the extracurricular activities associated with the development of a rugged society, such as the pugilistic arts, sports or the cadet corps, because voluntary participation will, in the end, produce far better results. Most, if not all, students participate in a physical fitness test. They are encouraged to play at least one game a term at various levels: class, house and school levels. The results produced so far, without having to resort to compulsory participation, have been encouraging. More than 200,000 students participate at school level and about 24,000 at inter-school level.

The strength of the school cadet corps, army, sea, air and police, has risen from 7,500 in 1967 to 12,500 this year, and next year this figure will reach close to the 17,000 mark. This increase is in keeping with the expansion programme planned for the period 1966 to 1970, and the aim is to establish at least one cadet corps unit in every secondary school. In and after 1970 the increase in the establishment strength is in the addition of an extra platoon in every secondary school, provided funds are available.