Points of interest in social services programme:
Education:
:
1. Over the last three years (since 1978) the Government
has extended free and compulsory education to all children
up to their 15th birthday who have not completed Form III.
2. Over 1.4 million people are now undergoing some form
of full-time or part-time education - about 30 per cent of
the total population.
3. Expenditure on education is expected to rise by nearly $1,000 million over the next six years (from $1,950 in 79/80
to $2,900 in 86/87).
4. The current schools building programme will provide
an additional 130 secondary schools, resulting the phasing out of the policy of "buying" places in less satisfactory private schools by 1982.
5.
There are now five technical institutes providing courses at both craft and technician level relating to the needs of major industries. A sixth technical institute is planned for completion in 1984.
6. A target growth rate of 3 per cent per year has been set for the combined population of the two universities.
The present number of undergraduate students is above 10,000.
The polytechnic, opened in 1972, intends to stabilise its student population at 12,000 full-time and equivalent part- time students (or a total student body of nearly 30,000) and many of its lower level courses are to be taken over and expanded in the technical institutes, thus enabling the polytechnic to concentrate on more advanced courses,
including some leading to degrees.
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