PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND JUNIOR COLLEGES (Library facilities)

Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education whether he is aware that library facilities in primary and secondary schools and junior colleges are inadequate and if he will take steps to improve them.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, the library facilities in schools are being developed and improved upon. This will have to be carried out in stages. For existing schools, a programme has been initiated for both the extension of physical facilities and the improvement of book collection. In January 1977, the Ministry implemented a School Library Development Project whereby library grants were made available to all existing primary schools to establish central libraries and to all secondary schools which need to expand their library facilities.

For new schools, plans have been incorporated in their designs to set up fully-equipped central libraries. Besides the improvement in the physical facilities, the Ministry is rendering services to the schools by training the school library co-ordinators to improve their skills in the running of school libraries. With the flexibility now granted on the use of School Funds, principals may exercise their discretion to use the Funds for library development.