XN000022-1973-10-17 — Page 52

Education

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Wednesday, October 17, 1973

I now turn to the third of the long-term plans announced last

year, that for the expansion of secondary education. This was to address

ourselves forthwith to the provision of 184,000 additional assisted places in forms 1 - 3 and 55,000 additional places in forms 4

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5 so as to offer

3 years secondary education to all in the 12-14 year age group, and to

double the percentage in the full 5-year course leading to a Certificate

of Education, and thus take a major step towards reconciling educational

facilities with the aspirations and needs of our community.

I asked the Board of Education to let me have their recommendations

on the time-scale within which these targets could be achieved, and on any

changes in the educational system which should be introduced. To undertake

this task the Board of Education was reconstituted under the Chairmanship

of the Hon. lir. P.C. Woo, and with a mombership of great distinction and

authority. I have seen the Board's report and it is a most able and valuable

document. It confirms that these targets could be achieved within a

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10 year plan, that is to say, by 1984, and lays down an interim target of

places for 80% of the 12 14 year age group by 1981. It recommends that

1/5 of the 3-year places should be in prevocational schools and that 1/3

of the places in the 5-year course should be in secondary technical schools.

The Report also recommends that to meet the necessary expansion in the

teaching services a fourth College of Education should be established as soon

as possible, if necessary in temporary accommodation, and that the universities

should consider further expansion of their present facilities for graduate

training in education.

I have ...............

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