FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2, 1981
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+EDUCATION IS INTERTWINED WITH THE WHOLE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC FABRIC OF SOCIETY AND WE NEED TO BE SURE THAT THE FURTHEST-REACH11.3
IMPLICATIONS ARE RECOGNISED AND UNDERSTOOD BEFORE WE COMMIT OURSELVES TO A MAJOR CHANGE OF DIRECTION. IN THESE MATTERS A CLEAR-THINKING APPROACH IS NECESSARY. AND WE MUST BE CAREFUL TO ENSURE THAT WE COMMAND THE RIGHT RESOURCES, BEARING IN MIND THAT THE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER IN DETERMINING EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS CANNOT BE MASS-PRODUCED.+
MR TOPLEY SAID THAT HE HAD HIGH HOPES OF THE EDUCATION REVIEW AND WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE ARRIVAL OF THE PANEL.
NOTE TO EDITORS:
THE MEMBERS OF THE REVIEW PANEL ARE SIR JOHN LLEWELLYN
DR GREG HANCOCK, DR KARL ROELOFFS AND PROFESSOR MICHAEL W. KIRST. THEY ARE ASSISTED BY TWO SPECIAL ADVISERS MR Q.W. LEE, CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, AND MR JAMES MCHUGH, AN OVERSEAS MEMBER OF THE UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC GRANTS COMMITTEE.
HEIGHT LIMIT FOR CHILDREN PASSENGERS RELAXED
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THE GOVERNMENT HAS RELAXED THE HEIGHT LIMIT FOR COUNTING CHILDREN AS PASSENGERS IN VEHICLES,
IN AMENDING REGULATIONS, PUBLISHED IN TODAY'S GOVERNMENT GAZETTE, THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF PRIVATE CARS AND PUBLIC SERVICE VEHICLES WILL NOW BE ASSESSED ON THE BASIS OF THREE CHILDREN UNDER 1/2 FT. (1.37 METRES) IN HEIGHT BEING RECKONED AS EQUAL TO TWO ADULT PASSENGERS. THE PREVIOUS HEIGHT LIMIT WAS 3 FT. (0.92 METRES).
THE RELAXATION IN THE HEIGHT LIMIT FOLLOWS REPRESENTATIONS BY THE OPERATORS OF SCHOOL TRANSPORT SERVICES AND A PRACTICAL EXPERIMENT CARRIED OUT BY TRANSPORT DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH A MORE REALISTIC RATIO OF SMALL CHILDREN TO ADULTS WHEN LOADING A VEHICLE.
THE EXPERIMENT FOUND THAT A RELAXATION IN THE HEIGHT LIMIT FOR COUNTING CHILDREN AS PASSENGERS IN VEHICLES WOULD NOT AFFECT SAFETY.
STATISTICS PROVIDED BY THE MEDICAL AND HEALTH DEPARTMENT ON THE AVERAGE WEIGHT AND HEIGHT OF SCHOOL CHILDREN BELOW 4-1/2 FT. (1.37 METRES) ALSO INDICATED THAT A CHANGE IN THE HEIGHT LIMIT WOULD NOT RESULT IN VEHICLES BEING OVERLOADED.
THE AMENDED REGULATIONS ARE EFFECTIVE FROM TODAY.
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