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Wednesday, February 24, 1971
It would also involve waiving $23.5 million in outstanding loans
made from the Development Loan Fund to the sponsors of primary schools.
Though he did not think it was the original intention, Sir John said it had
become the practice that sponsors repaid these capital loans from additional
contributions levied on parents. The waiving of these loans did not affect
the main accounts, but would reduce the assets of the Development Loan Fund.
"I cannot say that I myself an particularly happy to make this
announcement, which extends free primary education beyond those who cannot
afford to pay for it, and are not being asked to do so even now, to very many
on whom primary school fees are no burden," Sir John commented.
There might be very good grounds for universal compulsory primary
education, but he saw none for universal free education, even if that
education was compulsory. There was no principle that he was aware of which
laid down that it was proper to levy compulsory taxes but not compulsory fees,
so long as there was adequate provision to avoid hardship for those with
low incomes.
*I hope that we shall be able to do something to limit free prinary
education, and possibly, for that matter, heavily subsidised primary education,
to the schools which do not cater for the affluent," Sir John said. "This
is generally the situation in other countries with free primary education.
Our system has been distorted by its historical development."
On the Polytechnic, he said there was no financial provision for
it "other than for the expenses of the Planning Committee."
/But