THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1976
SPEEDING UP SECONDARY EDUCATION EXPANSION PLANS *****
THE BUILDING OF NEW SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE INTRODUCTION OF FLOTATION AND EXTENDED DAY IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS, THE CONVERSION OF UNDER-UTILISED GOVERNMENT PRIMARY INTO SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND THE BUYING OF ADDITIONAL PLACES IN PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE MEASURES WHICH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS TO TAKE TO PROVIDE SUFFICIENT JUNIOR SECONDARY PLACES FOR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS, THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION, MR. KENNETH TOPLEY, SAID THIS MORNING.
IN WELCOMING THE PROVISION OF FUNDS IN THE BUDGET FOR WHITE PAPER POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS ON SECONDARY EXPANSION TO PROCEED, MR. TOPLEY STRESSED THE BOLD NATURE OF THE INITIATIVE BY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE BRINGING THE TARGET DATES FORWARD.
THE SECONDARY SCHOOL ENTRANCE EXAMINATION IS TO BE HELD FOR THE LAST TIME IN 1977 NOT 1978 AS PREVIOUSLY ENVISAGED AND EVERY 'PRIMARY 6 LEAVER IS TO BE PROVIDED WITH AN AIDED FORM 1 PLACE IN
1978 NOT 1979 AS PROPOSED IN THE WHITE PAPER.
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT HAS TO BE SEEN AGAINST THE NEWS LAST YEAR THAT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WHITE PAPER WAS TO BE DELAYED AT LEAST ONE YEAR.
+ IN TERMS OF REAL PROGRESS, THIS MEANS THAT EXPANSION OF SECONDARY EDUCATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR HAS BEEN ACCELERATED NOT ONE BUT TWO YEARS, THE DIRECTOR SAID.
WHILE THE QUICKEST METHOD OF ENSURING THAT EVERY PRIMARY 6 LEAVER GETS AN AIDED FORM 1 PLACE WOULD BE BY BUYING ADDITIONAL PLACES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS AS AN INTERIM MEASURE, MR. TOPLEY SAID THE ULTIMATE AIM MUST BE TO PROVIDE AS MANY PLACES AS POSSIBLE IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS.
THIS WOULD BE ACHIEVED BY THE SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME WHICH WOULD ALSO PERMIT THE PROGRESSIVE REDUCTION OF THE OTHER TEMPORARY EXPEDIENTS OF FLOATING CLASSES AND EXTENDING THE SCHOOL DAY.
+1 AM CONVINCED THAT WE ARE DOING THE RIGHT THING.
+WE WILL BE PUTTING CHILDREN OF THE APPROPRIATE AGE GROUP WHERE THEY BELONG IN SCHOOLS. MR. TOPLEY SAID.
THUS THE GOVERNMENT'S MAIN OBJECTIVE TO PROVIDE SUBSIDISED EDUCATION FOR EVERY CHILD FOR NINE YEARS- SIX YEARS OF FREE PRIMARY AND THREE YEARS OF AIDED SECONDARY WILL BE ACHIEVED BY 1978.
-
THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT NOTHING WILL BE DONE UNTIL THEN, THE DIRECTOR ADDED.
/SUBSTANTIAL .....