XN000022-1977-04-28 — Page 6

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THURSDAY, APRIL 28, 1977

SELECTION AND ALLOCATION FOR POST-FORM 111 EDUCATION ******

THE WORKING PARTY ON SELECTION AND ALLOCATION FOR POST-FORM | EDUCATION, WHICH WAS SET UP BY THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION IN DECEMBER 1976, HAS MET SIX TIMES.

THIS WAS STATED TODAY BY A SPOKESMAN FOR THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT WHEN HE COMMENTED ON A REPORT IN AN ENGLISH-LANGUAGE MORNING NEWSPAPER.

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT THE WORKING PARTY HAD NOT YET STARTED DRAFTING ITS REPORT.

+SO FAR THE WORK OF THE WORKING PARTY HAS IN FACT CONSISTED MAINLY IN STUDYING SOME BASIC INFORMATION PAPERS BY THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT PLUS ABOUT 30 SUBMISSIONS FROM VARIOUS BODIES AND INDIVIDUALS, HE SAID.

+ THE WORK ING PARTY HAS NOT YET IN ANY WAY COMMITTED ITSELF AS TO THE VIEW IT WILL TAKE.+

IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT A FURTHER TWO OR THREE MONTHS WILL BE REQUIRED FOR THE COMPLETION OF THE WORKING PARTY'S REPORT.

THE SUBMISSIONS RECEIVED INCLUDE SOME WHICH ARE LIMITED TO WARNING THE WORKING PARTY OF THE DISADVANTAGES OF CERTAIN FORMS OF SELECTION WHILE SOME OTHERS CONTAIN POSITIVE PROPOSALS. THESE INCLUDE, AMONG OTHERS, SYSTEMS INVOLVING THE USE OF INTERNAL SCHOOL EXAMINATIONS WITH EXTERNAL MONITORING, AND ATTENTION HAS ALSO BEEN DRAWN BY SOME WRITERS TO THE POSSIBILITIES OF VOUCHER SYSTEMS.

BUT IT IS EMPHASISED THAT NO FIRM POSITIONS HAVE BEEN TAKEN BY THE WORKING PARTY. IT MUST ALSO BE POINTED OUT THAT THE WORKING PARTY IS MERELY CHARGED WITH PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO CONSIDER.

+THE PUBLIC WILL BE GIVEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THE REPORT AND THE DIRECTOR WILL NOT MAKE ANY DECISION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS UNTIL HE HAS CONSULTED APPROPRIATE EDUCATIONAL BODIES AND CONSIDERED ALL PUBLIC COMMENTS, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+ONLY AFTER THAT PROCESS, THAT IS TO SAY SOMETIME IN THE FIRST HALF OF 1978, WILL A DÉCISION BE REACHED BY THE GOVERNMENT.+

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