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WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1985
HE SAID THE EXPANSION OF THE EXISTING HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS AT THE IR CURRENT RATE WOULD ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO ACHIEVE ITS PRESENT TARGET OF PROVIDING FIRST-YEAR FIRST DEGREE PLACES FOR SIX PER CENT OF THE MEAN OF THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP IN 1989-90.
+ THE PROPOSED PROVISION OF 7 500 WOULD PROVIDE FOR 9.5 PER CENT OF THE MEAN OF THE RELEVANT AGE GROUP BY THE MID-1990'S. THIS PROVISION ALMOST TREBLES THE PRESENT LEVEL OF ABOUT 3.5 PER CENT, SUCH AN INCREASE WITHIN THE TIME SCALE ENVISAGED COULD NOT BE DESCRIBED AS A SMALL BY ANY STANDARD, HE SAID.
AS REGARDS FURTHER EXPANSION OF TERTIARY INSTITUTIONS, MR HENDERSON SAID THERE WAS ALWAYS A LIMIT TO WHAT COULD BE ACHIEVED.
+BESIDES PHYSICAL LIMITATION, EACH INSTITUTION HAS ITS OWN OPTIMUM RATE OF GROWTH MAXIMUM LIMIT OF EXPANSION, WHICH IS RELATED TO THE INSTITUTION'S PARTICULAR NATURE AND ACADEMIC PROFILE.
+ IN MAKING ITS RECOMMENDATIONS, THE UPGC HAS ALREADY TAKEN ACCOUNT OF THE EXPANSION POTENTIAL OF THE EXISTING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, HE SAID.
HE ADDED THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION WAS CURRENTLY STUDYING THE SUBJECT OF OPEN EDUCATION, INCLUDING PROVISION AT THE TERTIARY LEVELS BY THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE OTHER INSTITUTIONS INVOLVED.
+WE CAN FURTHER CONSIDER THE SUBJECT WHEN WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMISSION'S RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH WILL FORM PART OF ITS REPORT NO. 2, HE SAID.
ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES IN EDUCATION, MR HENDERSON SAID THE NINE YEARS' COMPULSORY EDUCATION WAS TIED IN WITH THE AGE OF LEGAL EMPLOYMENT, AND ANY CONTRACTION OF THIS PERIOD WOULD RESULT IN CHILDREN BEING NEITHER IN SCHOOL NOR IN EMPLOYMENT, AND THAT SUCH A SITUATION HAD OBVIOUS DANGERS.
+1 MUST COUNSEL FURTHER AGAINST ANY THOUGHT OF REDUCING THE LEGAL AGE FOR EMPLOYMENT - TO DO SO WOULD BE A MOST RETROGRADE STEP IN SOCIAL POLICY, HE SAID.
+
+ I DO NEVERTHELESS TAKE THE POINT THAT EDUCATION ACCOUNTS FOR A MAJOR PORTION OF TOTAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE - AROUND 17 PER CENT IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR -- AND THAT WE NEED TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY ACHIEVES THE MOST POSSIBLE RETURN ON THIS INVESTMENT.
+ IT IS PRECISELY FOR THIS REASON THAT. IN ITS TERMS OF REFERENCE, THE EDUCATION COMMISSION IS REQUIRED TO HAVE SPECIFIC REGARD TO THE RESOURCE IMPLICATIONS OF EDUCATIONAL POLICY, HE SAID.
/MR HENDERSON