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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 24, 1974
PROPER PLACE FOR CHILDREN AGED 12-14 IS AT SCHOOL
NO REAL SUBSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION SAYS MR. BRAY
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A NUMBER OF SCHEMES, WHICH COULD BE ADAPTED TO THE PROBLEM OF SCHOOL DROPOUTS, IS BEING EXAMINED BUT +THE ONLY SATISFACTORY SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM IN THE LONCER TERM IS TO PROVIDE SCHOOL PLACES FOR ALL THE CHILDREN CONCERNED, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY.
+THE PROPER PLACE FOR THESE CHILDREN IS AT SCHOOL, HE STRESSED IN HIS REPLY TO COMMENTS MADE BY THE HON. HILTON CHEONG-LEEN DURING THE ADJOURNMENT DEBATE ON PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS WHO CANNOT ENTER SECONDARY SCHOOLS.
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MR. BRAY VIEWED THE PROBLEM AS A RESIDUAL ONE THAT IS ONE OF DEALING WITH WHAT IS LEFT AFTER DECISIONS ARE TAKEN ON SECONDARY EDUCATION.
+BUT WHATEVER IS DONE ABOUT SECONDARY EDUCATION EXPANSION, HE SAID, +WE SHALL HAVE SOME CHILDREN AGED 12-14 WHO ARE NOT AT SCHOOL.+
MR. BRAY SAID AT FIRST HE BELIEVED THAT SOME TYPE OF SERVICE COULD BE DEVISED AND PROVIDED QUICKLY AS A SORT OF SUBSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION.
*WE HAVE LOOKED AT SEVERAL IDEAS BUT WE CAN NOW SEE THAT THERE IS REALLY NO SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM. CHILDREN SHOULD BE AT SCHOOL, HE STRESSED.
WHILE THE SCHEMES BEING CONSIDERED WERE GOOD IN THEMSELVES AND WERE WORTH DOING +LET US NOT PRETEND THERE IS AN ESCAPE FROM THE BASIC FACT THAT THERE IS NO REAL ALTERNATIVE TO SCHOOLING FOR CHILDREN OF THIS AGE, HE SAID.
+IF WE COULD SET UP A CRASH PROGRAMME OF FULL TIME OCCUPATIONAL TRAINING COURSES WE COULD PROVIDE SCHOOL PLACES,+ HE SAID. IF WE DO NOT PROVIDE SCHOOL PLACES THEN THESE CHILDREN WILL HAVE TO FACE LIFE AS BEST THEY CAN ON AN EDUCATION THAT STOPS DEAD AT THE AGE OF TWELVE.+
MR. BRAY NOTED THAT IF THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH SCHOOL PLACES THEN RESOURCES OF BUILDINGS OR STAFF OR MONEY ARE INSUFFICIENT. YET ANY OTHER SIMILAR SERVICE FOR THESE CHILDREN REQUIRED BUILDINGS AND STAFF AND MONEY OF VERY MUCH THE SAME SORT.
+1F WE CAN PRODUCE MORE RESOURCES WE CAN PRODUCE MORE SCHOOL PLACES, HE ADDED. +1F WE CANNOT PRODUCE MORE SCHOOL PLACES WE CANNOT PRODUCE SCHOOL TYPE SERVICES.+
/MR. BRAY .......
UJ