TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 1936
REPORT ON PRIVATE SCHOOLS RELEASED
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PROPOSALS HAVE BEEN MADE BY A WORKING GROUP OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS ASSOCIATIONS ADVISORY BOARD FOR PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE EDUCATION THEY ARE PROVIDING.
THE PROPOSALS AIM TO HELP PRIVATE SCHOOLS TO INTRODUCE IMPROVEMENTS IN VARIOUS ASPECTS OF THE IR OPERATION, SUCH AS SCHOOL FACILITIES AND TEACHERS' SALARIES. THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH THE SYSTEM OF ANNUAL FEE REVISION OPERATED BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT,
THE AIM IS TO ALLOW THE SCHOOLS TO OBTAIN MORE INCOME THROUGH FEES WHICH WILL, IN TURN, PAY FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN THE SCHOOLS.
THE DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR EXPENDITURE TO ENSURE THAT THE INTENDED IMPROVEMENTS ARE ACHIEVED.
IN ITS REPORT, THE WORK ING GROUP SET OUT IN DETAIL THE AREAS OF SCHOOL EXPENSES TO BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT BY THE DEPARTMENT IN PROCESSING SCHOOL FEE APPLICATIONS.
THESE INCLUDE INFLATION, SALARY INCREASES, EXPENDITURE ON IMPROVEMENTS, MAJOR AND MINOR REPAIRS, SEVERANCE PAY, LONG SERVICE GRATUITIES, RETIREMENT GRATUITIES AND PROVIDENT FUND CONTRIBUTIONS.
FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, THE WORKING GROUP PROPOSED THE SETTING OF SCHOOL FEES IN THREE BROAD BANDS. FOR FORMS 1 TO 3, FEES WILL BE SET AT THE LEVEL CALCULATED FOR FORM 3. FOR FORMS 4 AND 5, THE FEE WILL BE SET AT A POINT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE FEE LEVELS OF THESE TWO FORMS.
IN DETERMINING THIS FEE LEVEL. THE PROJECTED ENROLMENT IN EACH FORM WILL BE USED TO CALCULATE A WEIGHTED AVERAGE. THIS FORMULA WILL ALSO APPLY TO THE CALCULATION OF THE FEE LEVELS FOR FORMS 6 AND 7.
THE WORK ING GROUP ALSO CONSIDERED THAT IT IS ACCEPTABLE TO INCLUDE A 10 PER CENT PROF IT MARGIN IN THE DETERMINATION OF SCHOOL FEE LEVELS. IN ADDITION, SCHOOLS WILL BE ALLOWED TO BASE THE IR PROF IT CALCULATIONS ON CAPITAL INVESTMENT, GROSS INCOME OR TOTAL EXPENDITURE, WHICHEVER THEY CONSIDER THE MOST APPROPRIATE TO THE IR SITUATIONS.
THE WORK ING GROUP'S REPORT HAS BEEN ENDORSED BY MEMBERS OF THE PRIVATE SCHOOLS ASSOCIATIONS ADVISORY BOARD AND IS BEING CONSIDERED BY THE DEPARTMENT BEFORE IMPLEMENTATION. IT IS HOPEL: THAT THESE IMPROVEMENTS CAN COME INTO EFFECT IN THE SCHOOL YEAR BEGINNING SEPTEMBER 1986.
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