SECONDARY SCHOOL IN THOMSON CONSTITUENCY

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education whether his Ministry plans to build a secondary school in the Thomson Constituency.

Mr Chai Chong Yii (for the Minister for Home Affairs and Education): Sir, under the current School Building Programme, new schools are built to meet the demand arising from the shift of population to HDB new towns and estates. In the Thomson Constituency, except for the 1.178 housing units built in Sin Ming Industrial Estate, there has been no new HDB town or major housing estate. The existing secondary schools on the fringe of Thomson Constituency can adequately meet the present demand for secondary school places in that constituency. Another two secondary schools providing 4,480 places will be built this year in Ang Mo Kio New Town which is also on the fringe of Thomson Constituency. There are, therefore, presently no plans for a new secondary school in the Thomson Constituency. The Ministry of Education is, however, in continuous liaison with the HDB and will put up plans for a new secondary school in Thomson Constituency should this be justified.