XN000022-1983-02-23 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1983'

24

THE TOTAL ESTIMATE FOR THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME IN 1983-84 IS $5 552.1 MILLION, AGAINST THE 1982-83 REVISED ESTIMATE OF $5 161.5 MILLION.

BY SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, SUBSIDISED FORM FOUR PLACES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS WILL INCREASE TO 58 050 PLACES COMPARED WITH THE SEPTEMBER 1982 FIGURE OF 56 460.

AT THE FIVE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES, THE NUMBER OF FULL-TIME PLACES OF CRAFT AND DIPLOMA COURSES WILL INCREASE FROM JUST UNDER 3 800 IN OCTOBER 1982 TO 4 700 IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR. AND PLANS ARE FOR PART-TIME DAY COURSES TO INCREASE FROM JUST UNDER 10 600 TO 13 800.

A NUMBER OF MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS IN STANDARDS OF EDUCATION AND CHILD CARE WERE INTRODUCED IN SEPTEMBER LAST YEAR. THESE INCLUDED A SCHEME OF FEE ASSISTANCE FOR NEEDY CHILDREN ATTENDING KINDERGARTENS AND CHILD-CARE CENTRES, AND AN INCREASE IN THE TEACHER TO CLASS RATIO NROM 1.1 TO ONE TO 1.2 TO ONE.

PROVISION IS MADE FOR $18 MILLION IN CAPITAL SUBVENTIONS FOR BUILDING AND EQUIPPING NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL BUILDINGS. IN

ADDITION, $120 MILLION WILL BE SPENT UNDER THE PUBLIC WORKS PROGRAMME FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF 32 PRIMARY SCHOOLS.

THE GOVERNMENT IS ALSO ENGAGED IN A MAJOR SECONDARY SCHOOL BUILDING PROGRAMME WHICH WILL PRODUCE 39 NEW SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT THREE TO FOUR YEARS.

SOME $1 225 MILLION IS PROVIDED FOR EXPENDITURE ON UNIVERSITY AND POLYTECHNIC EDUCATION, COMPARED WITH THE REVISED ESTIMATE FOR 1982-83 OF $1 142 MILLION.

A NEW TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING DEPARTMENT WAS FORMED ON APRIL 1 LAST YEAR, ADMINISTERING GRANTS TO THE VOCATIONAL TRAINING COUNCIL.

THE VTC ADVISES THE GOVERNMENT ON TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR OPERATING TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRES.

•

/25

+ I