XN000022-1976-12-11 — Page 2

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1976.

GOVERNMENT SPENDS $2 MILLION MORE

ON GRANTS AND ALLOWANCES TO SECONDARY SCHOOLS

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THE GOVERNMENT HAS APPROVED RECOMMENDATIONS BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION FOR $2,046,000 ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE ON GRANTS AND ALLOWANCES TO PRIVATE NON-PROFIT-MAKING AND AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS FOR THE SEVEN-MONTH PERIOD ENDING MARCH 31, 1977.

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT FOR A FULL FINANCIAL YEAR THE EXPENDITURE ON SUCH GRANTS AND ALLOWANCES WOULD BE IN THE REGION OF 33.6 MILLION.

ANNOUNCING THE HIGHER CAPITATION GRANTS FOR THE 36 ASSISTED PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOLS WHICH ARE BEING CONVERTED IN STAGES TO FULLY AIDED STATUS AND FOR SCHOOLS UNDER THE CODE OF AID FOR SECONDARY SCHOOLS, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT SAID THAT THE RATES OF CAPITATION GRANTS HAD BEEN INCREASED ON AVERAGE BY 25 PER CENT PER PUPIL PER ANNUM.

+THE HIGHER GRANTS TAKE ACCOUNT OF INCREASES IN PRICES OF VARIOUS ESSENTIAL ITEMS REQUIRED FOR THE OPERATION OF CLASSES, SUCH AS CONSUMABLE STORES, FUEL, LIGHT AND POWER, PRINTING AND STATIONERY, MINOR REPAIRS TO BUILDINGS, EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND INSURANCE PREMIA,+ HE SAID.

THE REVISED RATES OF CAPITATION GRANTS EFFECTIVE FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1976 (OLD RATES IN BRACKETS) ARE AS FOLLOWS:

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SECONDARY GRAMMAR FORMS 1 TO 5: $80 ($64) PER PUPIL PER ANNUM, FORM 6: $160 ($128)- SECONDARY TECHNICAL FORMS 1 TC 5: $80-$110 ($64-$85), FORM 6: $160 ($128) SECONDARY MODERN - FORMS 1 TO 3: $80-$100 ($64-385- PRE-VOCATIONAL FORMS 1 TO 3: $110-130 (385).

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THE REVISED RATES OF CAPITATION GRANT TO AIDED SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL INVOLVE ADDITIONAL GRANTS TOTALLING $1.28 MILLION FOR THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR AND AN ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT OF $362,000 IN SIMILAR GRANTS TO THE 36 ASSISTED PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

FOR THE REMAINING FIVE ASSISTED PRIVATE SCHOOLS, THEIR CLASSROOM/SPECIAL ROOMS ALLOWANCE HAS BEEN INCREASED FROM $200 PER MONTH PER ROOM TO $267. AS A RESULT OF THIS REVISION, ALSO EFFECTIVE FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 1976 THE GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO AN ADDITIONAL EXPENDITURE OF $84,000 IN THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR.

THE SPOKESMAN ALSO ANNOUNCED THAT THE PER CAPITA GRANT TO PRIVATE NON-PROFIT-MAKING SCHOOLS OFFERING THREE-YEAR BOUGHT PLACES HAD BEEN INCREASED FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE ACADEMIC YEAR FROM $345 TO 3365 PER PUPIL PER ANNUM.

THE ADDITIONAL FINANCIAL COMMITMENT FOR THIS REVISION FOP THE CURRENT FINANCIAL YEAR IS $220,000, HE SAID.

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