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EDUCATION

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WITHIN the Government Secretariat, policy responsibility for education matters rests with the Secretary for Education and Manpower. A number of bodies are, however, in- volved in an executive or advisory capacity in the administration and development of the educational system.

Education Commission

The Education Commission, established in April 1984, is the government's highest advisory body on education. Its overall objective is to provide the Governor with advice on the development of the educational system, in the light of the needs of the community.

The terms of reference of the commission are: to define overall educational objectives; to formulate policy and recommend priorities for implementation having regard to the resources available; to co-ordinate and monitor the planning and development of educa- tion at all levels, and to initiate educational research.

The commission is composed of 14 members. Twelve of these, including the chairman, are non-government members appointed with a view to ensuring that a broad range of personal and professional experience is brought to bear on the issues before the com- mission. The ex-officio members are the chairmen of the Board of Education, the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee and the Vocational Training Council. The two remaining members of the Education Commission are government officials – the Secretary for Education and Manpower (who is vice-chairman), and the Director of Education.

In November 1990, the commission published its fourth report which dealt with the curriculum and behavioural problems in schools. The report contained recommendations on a wide range of issues. On the curriculum, the commission made several recom- mendations as to how it might be improved. The most important of these related to curriculum development where the commission recommended that for the effective and innovative development of curriculum, a full-time professional body namely, the Curriculum Development Institute, be created within the Education Department. To assist students with behavioural problems, the commission recommended improvement to counselling and guidance in schools. It recommended, too, the improvement of remedial teaching and the provision of alternative curricula, in both mainstream and special purpose schools, to help those who have learning difficulties, those who are gifted or unmotivated, and those who have severe learning problems. The commission also recommended the