SCHOOL GROUNDS AND SPORTS FACILITIES (Use of, by community service groups)

Mr Yeo Choo Kok asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education how many schools have agreed to allow their grounds and sports facilities to be used after school hours by sports clubs, community centre management committees or other civic organisations, and whether his Ministry will encourage more schools to allow those organisations to make use of such facilities for the promotion of sports.

The Senior Minister of State for Education (Mr Chai Chong Yii) (for the Minister for Home Affairs and Education): Mr Speaker, Sir, school grounds and sports facilities are open to bona fide organisations on application to the principals of the schools. Organisations permitted to use such school facilities are required to pay nominal charges which go toward meeting utility charges.

Recently the Singapore Sports Council entered into a formal arrangement with the Ministry for its Constituency Sports Clubs and the Constituency Sports Associations to use grounds and sports facilities of certain schools on specific dates and times. Other than this commitment and the school's own programme of activities, applications by bona fide organisations are usually approved.