XN000022-1985-02-27 — Page 38

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1985

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MORE MONEY FOR EDUCATION AND HEALTH

***

THE PROVISION OF $7.6 BILLION IN RECURRENT EXPENDITURE OF THE GENERAL REVENUE ACCOUNT FOR SUBVENTIONS REPRESENTS 27.1 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL COMPARED WITH AN AVERAGE OF 26 PER CENT OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, SAID SIR JOHN.

+THIS INCREASE REFLECTS CONTINUING EXPANSION IN EDUCATION

AND HEALTH. I HOPE THAT IT WILL BE NOTED.+

EDUCATION SPENDING GOING UP ****

CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE ON EDUCATION IN 1985-86 WOULD BE $7.81 BILLION, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, SAID IN HIS BUDGET SPEECH TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THIS AMOUNTED TO 17 PER CENT OF TOTAL CONSOLIDATED ACCOUNT EXPENDITURE AND WAS A 10.7 PER CENT INCREASE OVER 1984-85, HE SAID.

+OF THIS AMOUNT WE WILL SPEND $725 MILLION ON CONSTRUCTING AND EQUIPPING NEW BUILDINGS, WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THAT IN 1984-85+ SIR JOHN SAID.

SIR JOHN REFERRED TO A MAJOR FOOTNOTE IN HIS PRINTED SPEECH TO ILLUSTRATE THE FINANCING OF POLICIES WITH REGARD TO PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION INCLUDING THE PHASING OUT OF THE JUNIOR SECONDARY EDUCATION ASSESSMENT, TO VOCATIONAL TRAINING, AND TO TERTIARY EDUCATION.

+ DO HOPE THAT THOSE WHO CLAMOUR FOR EVEN FASTER ADVANCES WILL STUDY THE HUGE SUMS OF MONEY INVOLVED, AND PONDER HOW MORE COULD BE FOUND, HE SAID.

THE FOOTNOTE SAID THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY WAS TO PROVIDE PRIMARY SCHOOLS WITHIN A REASONABLE WALKING DISTANCE FOR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN, TO PROVIDE A SUBSIDISED PLACE FOR ALL PRIMARY 6 LEAVERS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SECONDARY PLACE IN SCHOOLS AND PLACES AT TECHNICAL INSTITUTES AND ADULT EDUCATION CENTRES TO MEET THE FULL DEMAND FROM FORM 111 LEAVERS WHO WERE SUITABLE FOR THE COURSES PROVIDED; AND TO PHASE OUT THE JSEA BY 1991.

TO MEET THESE OBJECTIVES, 10 PRIMARY SCHOOLS, PROVIDING 19 200 PLACES MAINLY IN THE NEW TOWNS, AND FIVE SECONDARY SCHOOLS PROVIDING INITIALLY 1 280 FORM I AND 640 FORM IV PLACES WILL BE COMPLETED IN 1985-86.

ON VOCATIONAL