THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1992
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THIS PACKAGE HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AND ACCLAIMED AS A COMPREHENSIVE, FORWARD-LOOKING AND REALISTIC PACKAGE TO DEAL WITH THE PRESENT AND FUTURE DEMANDS ON THE TEACHING PROFESSION. OF COURSE, THERE ARE AND WILL BE, OTHER VIEWS ON SPECIFIC ISSUES, SOME OFFERING ALTERNATIVES AND OTHERS ACTUALLY DISAGREEING WITH WHAT HAS BEEN PROPOSED. THIS IS ONLY TO BE EXPECTED, SINCE ECR5 DEALS WITH A HIGHLY COMPLEX SUBJECT AND ITS MANY RECOMMENDATIONS AFFECT DIFFERENT PEOPLE DIFFERENTLY.
FCR5 IS NOW UNDERGOING A PERIOD OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION WHICH WILL LAST UNTIL THE END OF SEPTEMBER. I URGE THE PUBLIC, AND THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY IN PARTICULAR, TO STUDY THE REPORT CAREFULLY OVER THE SUMMER AND TO LET US HAVE THEIR VIEWS.
THE COMMISSION AND THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WELCOME VIEWS FROM ALL SOURCES AND WILL LISTEN TO THEM CAREFULLY. WHEN THE PERIOD OF PUBLIC CONSULTATION IS OVER, THE COMMISSION WILL TAKE STOCK OF THE PUBLIC RESPONSE AND CONSIDER WHETHER ITS RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE MODIFIED IN ANY WAY. I SHALL THEN, AS SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, FORMULATE POLICY PROPOSALS FOR THE CONSIDERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, TAKING FULLY INTO ACCOUNT THE PUBLIC'S VIEWS AND THE FURTHER THOUGHTS, IF ANY, OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION. THIS ELABORATE PROCESS IS NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT THE COMMUNITY'S NEEDS AND ASPIRATIONS ARE FULLY REFLECTED AND GIVEN WEIGHT IN THE EXAMINATION OF POLICY OPTIONS.
SINCE PUBLIC CONSULTATIONS ON ECR5 ARE IN PROGRESS, I DO NOT PROPOSE TO COMMENT TODAY ON SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS IN THE REPORT OR PUBLIC VIEWS ON THEM. INSTEAD, I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE FOUR GENERAL POINTS.
THE
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FIRST, UNLIKE PREVIOUS REPORTS OF THE EDUCATION COMMISSION, ECR5 DEALS WITH A SINGLE SUBJECT - TEACHERS. THIS REFLECTS BOTH SIZE OF THE PROBLEM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PROPOSED REFORMS. FAR, PUBLIC ATTENTION SEEMS TO HAVE FOCUSSED ON THE COST IMPLEMENTING THESE PROPOSALS. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT A SUBSTANTIAL INVESTMENT IS NEEDED, IT WOULD BE QUITE WRONG TO BELIEVE THAT ALL THE PRESENT INADEQUACIES CAN BE RESOLVED SIMPLY BY INJECTING MORE CASH INTO THE SYSTEM. THE CHANGES WHICH HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN OUR CLASSROOMS REQUIRE TACKLING WITH IMAGINATION, PATIENCE AND DEDICATION. MONEY WILL NOT BE EVERYTHING. I HOPE AND TRUST THAT THE EDUCATION COMMUNITY WILL TREAT BUT ECRS NOT PASSIVELY AS JUST A CATALOGUE OF OVERDUE IMPROVEMENTS, BUT POSITIVELY BOTH AS AN INVITATION TO BETTER AND MORE CLEARLY DEFINED OPPORTUNITIES AND AS A CHALLENGE TO HIGHER LEVELS OF ENDEAVOUR.
IF
SECONDLY, I KNOW THERE IS A VIEW THAT ALL THE ECR5 RECOMMENDATIONS SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS A PACKAGE. I CAN UNDERSTAND THE ANXIETY TO MAKE PROGRESS. I ALSO ACCEPT THAT MANY OF THE PROPOSALS IN THE REPORT ARE INTER-DEPENDENT. BUT THERE ARE OBVIOUS LIMITS TO HOW FAR ONE CAN GO WITH AN "ALL OR NOTHING" APPROACH. THE COROLLARY TO NOT BEING ABLE TO PROCEED WITH ALL ECR5 PROPOSALS IS TO MAKE NO PROGRESS AT ALL AND COMMON SENSE WOULD SUGGEST THAT THIS IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE POSITION TO TAKE. SOME DEGREE OF PRIORITY SETTING WILL PROBABLY BE NECESSARY. THE GOVERNMENT WOULD WELCOME VIEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY ON WHAT THE PRIORITIES SHOULD BE.
/THIRDLY, THERE