XN000022-1992-07-16 — Page 7

THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1992

THIRDLY, THERE IS A FURTHER FACET TO PRIORITY SETTING, NAMELY THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE AND URGENCY OF ECR5 RECOMMENDATIONS VIS-A-VIS OTHER DESIRABLE IMPROVEMENTS TO THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. THERE IS A VIEW STRONGLY HELD IN SOME QUARTERS AS ELOQUENTLY EXPRESSED TODAY THAT THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET A SPECIFIC TIMETABLE FOR CONVERTING ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL CLASSES TO WHOLE-DAY OPERATION. I HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED THE GOVERNMENT'S POLICY ON WHOLE-DAY SCHOOLING IN SOME DETAIL, IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION IN THIS COUNCIL ON 24 JUNE. OUR POLICY IS TO ENCOURAGE PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO RUN WHOLE-DAY CLASSES WHEREVER THE ENROLMENT SITUATION IN THE LOCALITY ALLOWS. THIS ENCOURAGEMENT IS GIVEN IN THE FORM OF ADDITIONAL AND MORE SENIOR TEACHING POSTS AND AN ENHANCED CLASS GRANT. RESOURCE CONSIDERATIONS APART, THIS POLICY WILL ENABLE ALL CONCERNED TO GAIN MORE EXPERIENCE OF THIS MODE OF OPERATION. IT WILL ALSO AVOID A DRAMATIC INCREASE IN THE DEMAND FOR GOOD QUALITY TEACHERS WHICH, AS ECR5 DEMONSTRATES, THE PRESENT SYSTEM IS NOT WELL- PLACED TO MEET. THIS IS WHY WE HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO ADOPT A DEFINITIVE TIMETABLE FOR WHOLE-DAY SCHOOLING AT THIS STAGE. NEVERTHELESS, GIVEN THE AMOUNT OF PUBLIC DEBATE WHICH HAS SURROUNDED THE QUESTION OF WHOLE-DAY SCHOOLING, I WISH TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I WOULD WELCOME VIEWS FROM THE COMMUNITY ON THE PRIORITY WHICH SHOULD BE ACCORDED SETTING A TIMETABLE FOR FULL CONVERSION TO WHOLE-DAY SCHOOLING, RELATION TO THE FUNDAMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS RECOMMENDED FOR TEACHERS ECR5.

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FINALLY, AND I APOLOGISE FOR KEEPING MEMBERS WAITING, I COME TO THE QUESTION OF FUNDING. TO A LARGE EXTENT, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S BRIEFING ON 8 JULY ON SPENDING PRIORITIES HAS ALREADY PROVIDED THE ANSWER. THE RECURRENT EXPENDITURE TO ARISE FROM ECR5 IN 1993-94 HAS ALREADY BEEN NOTED AS A SPENDING ASPIRATION. WHETHER THIS ASPIRATION CAN BE TRANSLATED INTO REALITY DEPENDS ON SEVERAL THINGS. FIRST, IT DEPENDS ON THE OUTCOME OF THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION ON ECR5 AND WHAT POLICIES ARE FINALLY ADOPTED. SECONDLY, IT DEPENDS ON THE AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY WHICH THE GOVERNMENT WILL HAVE AT ITS DISPOSAL AND THE PROPORTION OF SUCH NEW MONEY WHICH CAN BE COMMITTED TO FUND THOSE POLICIES. THIRDLY, IN CASE THE AMOUNT OF NEW MONEY ALLOCATED TO THE EDUCATION PROGRAMME IS INSUFFICIENT TO MEET WHAT IS NEEDED FOR ECR5, IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT SCOPE - AND WHAT SUPPORT - I SHALL HAVE то REDEPLOY EXISTING RESOURCES FROM WITHIN MY PROGRAMME AREA. THUS, FUNDING FOR ECR5, IN THE SAME WAY AS FUNDING FOR OTHER SPENDING ASPIRATIONS, WILL BE THE OUTCOME OF DIALOGUE AND CONSULTATION BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT AND THE WIDER COMMUNITY ON THE MOST APPROPRIATE MEANS OF MEETING THE GREATEST PERCEIVED NEEDS IN A SITUATION OF LIMITED RESOURCES. I TRUST MEMBERS WILL UNDERSTAND, THEREFORE, IF I CANNOT SAY TODAY WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO FUND THE WHOLE OF ECR5. BUT I WILL SAY THIS: AS SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION AND MANPOWER, I SHALL DO MY LEVEL BEST TO TRY AND SECURE THE NECESSARY RESOURCES TO IMPLEMENT THE RECOMMENDATIONS IF THEY PROVE TO BE WIDELY SUPPORTED BY THE COMMUNITY, I AM GLAD AND ENCOURAGED TO LEARN TODAY THAT I SHALL HAVE MEMBERS' STRONG SUPPORT IN THIS EFFORT.

WORK

MR DEPUTY PRESIDENT, THE GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIES WITH THAT THE EDUCATION COMMISSION HAS DONE IN ITS FIFTH SUPPORTS THE SPIRIT OF THE MOTION.

THE REPORT

GOOD

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