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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2, 1977
WIDER PROVISION OF EDUCATIONAL
SERVICES IN 1977/78 ******
MORE MONEY WILL BE SPENT ON EDUCATION IN THE COMING FINANCIAL YEAR.
MOVING THE SECOND READING OF THE APPROPRIATION BILL 1977 IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON. PHILIP HADDON-CAVE INDICATED THAT THE DRAFT ESTIMATES PROVIDED FOR EXPENDITURE OF $1,658 MILLION ON EDUCATION IN 1977/78, REPRESENTING 20.1 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE.
THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION IN 1976/77 STOOD AT $1,453 MILLION.
THE FIGURE OF $1,658 MILLION FOR 1977/78 IS MADE UP OF $1,507 MILLION FOR RECURRENT EXPENDITURE BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ON SUBVENTIONS AND BY THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE AND $151 MILLION FOR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE.
THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY STRESSED THAT THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON PRIMARY EDUCATION WAS TO PROVIDE A GOVERNMENT OR AIDED PLACE FOR EVERY CHILD OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE (6-11).
+THIS OBJECTIVE IS ALREADY MORE THAN PROVIDED FOR,+ HE
SAID.
HE EXPLAINED THAT, ON THE BASIS OF THE 1971 CENSUS, THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN OF PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE WOULD BE 500,000 BY THE END OF THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.
+TAKING NO ACCOUNT OF VACANT CLASSROOMS, THE NUMBER OF PLACES AVAILABLE IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED PRIMARY SCHOOLS AT 621,000 IS WELL IN EXCESS OF THE NUMBER IN THE AGE GROUP.
+ESTIMATED TOTAL ENROLMENT AT 537,000 IN GOVERNMENT AND AIDED SCHOOLS AND 85,000 IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS ALSO EXCEEDS THE NUMBER IN THE AGE GROUP FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS,+ HE SAID.
HOWEVER, MR. HADDON-CAVE ADDED THAT THIS DID NOT MEAN NEW PRIMARY SCHOOLS WOULD NOT BE OPENED, FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT NO CHILD WILL HAVE TO TRAVEL AN UNREASONABLE DISTANCE TO ATTEND PRIMARY SCHOOL+,
WITH THE SHIFT OF POPULATION TO THE NEW TOWNS AND OTHER DEVELOPING AREAS, HE CONTINUED, IT WOULD BE NECESSARY TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF NEW PLACES IN THESE AREAS AND THE DRAFT ESTIMATES ENVISAGED THAT SOME 12,240 NEW PLACES WOULD BE SO PROVIDED.
ON SPECIAL