For discussion
on 2nd June 1970
CONFIDENTIAL
XCC(70)28 Copy No
of 25
MEMORANDUM FOR EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
POST PRIMARY EDUCATION POLICY
When the rapid expansion of Government assistance to education was first seriously undertaken in the early 1950s, the first main aim set, in general terms, was to provide as comprehensively as possible for primary school children in either the aided or private sector. This aim having been substantially achieved, the next aim became to expand the aided sector of primary education to all who desired to take advantage of it.
2
We are now within sight of achieving this aim also. At the same time, it was decided that aided secondary places leading to School Certificate should be provided for 15-20% of primary school leavers. This also has been achieved, and later developments in the post-primary field have made it desirable to review this policy too.
3
The time has therefore come to consider fresh aims. Two general lines of approach are possible. Either we can raise the 15-20% figures, i.e. broaden the aid made available at the top; or we can provide aid for additional years of schooling for larger numbers after primary education has been completed, i. e. heighten the fully aided sector from the bottom.
4
Educationally, socially and economically it is considered prefer- able at this time to take the next step by opening up additional opportunities to receive aid at the bottom rather than to extend to any great extent the aid provided at the top of the educational structure. Accordingly, the next step suggested is to try to provide as comprehensively as possible for an aided education up to 14/15 years of age, the minimum age for industrial em- ployment. An over-rigid age limit, however, cannot conveniently be set, since birthdays occur throughout the year; and it is therefore considered more practical to express the aim as the provision of 3 years of aided post-primary education for all seeking it.
5
From what post-primary educational facilities we have already, and from plans that are already in the pipe-line, it would appear not un- realistic to proceed in two steps, and set the first step at the provision, with Government assistance, of places for 50% of the 12-14 year age-group, las determined from census information: this step to be achieved if possible
by 1976. It will be observed that the basis now proposed for the 50% figure is the estimated age-group, not school-leavers as before. For a number of reasons, school-leavers has proved not to be an entirely suit- able basis for planning, the main reason being that the numbers of school- leavers cannot be ascertained with any precision. Admittedly the age-group is not a precisely accurate figure either, but, exactly accurate or not, it is firm enough as a figure on which to calculate the aided places to be provided.
CONFIDENTIAL