E/1982/3/Add.16

English Page 8

30. In accordance with article 13, paragraph 3, separate religious schooling is provided for the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church; those of the Jewish faith have been running their own schools in this country for many years, with co-operation and considerable financial assistance from local education authorities. In such voluntary aided schools, the State funds 85 per cent of the capital costs. There are also a few independent schools for members of other faiths. It is open to those of other religious faiths, such as Sikhs and Moslems, to establish schools in co-operation with the maintained system, provided that they are first able to meet the qualifying criteria for such assistance. So far no firm proposals have been put forward for consideration.

Paragraph 4

31.

K

an

There have been no recent developments in respect of article 13, paragraph 4. Any individual has the right to found and manage an independent school. The law is that if five or more pupils of compulsory school-age (see para. 22 above) are taught at a school, it must register with the Registrar of Independent Schools official in the Department of Education and must be subject to approval by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools to ensure that it conforms to certain basic conditions (1944 Education Act, part III).

32.

There are no statutory and no administrative provisions to prevent or interfere with the foundation of independent further education institutes, as distinct from voluntary and direct-grant further education. The voluntary scheme for "recognition as efficient" is to be phased out in 1982 in line with current financial constraints.

ARTICLE 14: PRINCIPLE OF COMPULSORY EDUCATION, FREE OF CHARGE FOR ALL

In the United Kingdom, as already mentioned, the principle of compulsory education, free of charge for all, is adhered to. This had been so since 1944.

33.

34.

ARTICLE 15:

RIGHT TO TAKE PART IN CULTURAL LIFE AND TO ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS AND THE PROTECTION OF THE INTERESTS OF AUTHORS

A. Right to participate in cultural life

In spring 1980, the passage through Parliament of the National Heritage Act created the National Heritage Memorial Fund to assist in the preservation, maintenance and acquisition of those items of outstanding historic or artistic interest in need of preservation. The Fund, in its first year, made grants of more than £2 million for numerous highly desirable acquisitions and projects. By providing Government indemnity cover, the Act has also enabled numerous exhibitions to be presented to the public.

35.

In mid-1980, the Minister for the Arts inaugurated a campaign to encourage business involvement in and support for the Arts. "The Arts are your Business", a guide to prospective sponsors, was circulated to some 20,000 businesses and

/...

Share This Page