Ong Pang Boon
Singapore
“At the same time, our shoulders should be broad enough to accept criticism and even admit mistakes if need be, and be prepared to make the necessary changes. This does not mean pandering to the baser instincts of the people.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Ministry will certainly give every assistance to the villagers in clearing the debris, especially if they are left over by the contractors. I will appreciate if the Member can also let the Ministry know who are these contractors and we will prosecute them. CONSTRUCTION BRIGADE (Progress) 2.”
“The Ministry is now monitoring the results of the programme and is happy to note that there are some improvements in the cleanliness of our public toilets. It would prosecute managements of public toilets who fail to provide proper maintenance.”
“A comprehensive programme to monitor the air and sea environment in the vicinity of the Complex has been drawn up. Engineers and technicians from the Ministry and other departments have been sent for overseas training on the surveillance of petrochemical complexes.”
“The professional or other misconduct for the purposes of revocation must be of such a nature as to render, in the opinion of the Attorney-General, the notary public unfit to practise as such. This amendment is dealt with in clause 4 of the Bill.”
“All flats of the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) including those at Blair Plain are rented out to employees on monthly tenancies and are not provided as part of their terms and conditions of service. These flats are therefore not service quarters.”
The complete record
Every one of 668 lines we hold for Ong Pang Boon, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 12 of 14.
“Mr Speaker, the decrease in the number of posts for teachers-in-training reflects the increasingly rapid reversion to full-time training in the Teachers' Training College. Unlike part-time trainees, full-time trainees are not paid a salary and consequently no posts need be entered in the Estimates for them. That we are able to revert to full-time training shows that the part-time system of training introduced in 1960 has, to a large extent, overcome the teacher shortage. It is expected that no more part-time trainees need be recruited in the Chinese medium for primary schools next year, and the same situation will apply to the English medium part-time trainees in the next two or three years. It is confirmed that the reduction of 1,495 posts of teachers-in-training means that the intake of part-time trainees in the Teachers' Training College will be reduced by that number in 1968.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I cannot be held responsible for what took place way back in 1953 or 1950. Anyway, for the information of the Member for Punggol, the representation of my Ministry was made to the Salaries Commission.”
“At the last convocation ceremony held in May 1967, I did make a statement that the question of recognition would be resolved in about two or three years' time. However, judging from the rare of progress in the University, both in the academic field as well as in University organisation, and also judging by the better qualified staff that are being recruited at the moment, I am quite prepared to say that the question of recognition of Nanyang degrees would be resolved by the next convocation, much earlier than what I had originally anticipated.”
“Because of different rates of allowances being attached to different posts of more or less the same responsibility, it is not possible to transfer officers of comparable qualifications and experience from one post to another in the interest of the service and of the officers themselves. I, therefore, agree with the Member for Punggol that the system of post allowances should be abolished in favour of different salary scales for different grades of officers with a variety of Posts requiring the same qualifications and experience within each grade. My Ministry has, in fact, made representations along these lines to the appropriate quarters and the outcome is being awaited. The Member for Bukit Merah has raised the question of the Chinese translation of the terms "Vice-Chancellor" and "Deputy Vice-Chancellor". Mr Speaker, Sir, the nominal head of a university is the Chancellor whose functions are mainly statutory and ceremonial. The administrative and academic head of a university is the Vice-Chancellor whose duty it is to conduct the day-to-day affairs of a university. In Chinese universities, however, there is no post corresponding to that of a Chancellor and in Nanyang University there is also no provision for such a post. Consequently, the Vice-Chancellor of Nanyang University is designated in Chinese as "Head of the University", that is, Seow Chang, and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor is known in Chinese as "Deputy Head of the University", Fu Seow Chang, which in fact describe their respective functions accurately. Mr Speaker, Sir, I quite sympathise with the Member for Jurong's concern over the question of recognition of Nanyang University degrees. In fact, this question has been receiving the attention of the Government for quite a considerable time.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the pensionable allowances referred to by the Member for Punggol is, in fact, known as "post allowances". The system of post allowances in the Education service was first introduced in October 1953 with retrospective effect to 1st January, 1950. It formed part of the overall salary revision which was approved after negotiations between the then Government and the trade union then representing the teaching profession. The new salary scales and the post allowances were written into the Education service scheme forming part of the Scheme for Higher Services, 1953. In the course of negotiations, the Graduate Teachers' Association, which has since gone out of existence, played a prominent part. Under the scheme, post allowances ranging from $120 to $360 per month are attached to certain posts such as lecturers in the Teachers' Training College, Inspectors of Schools and principals of primary and secondary schools. These allowances become pensionable emoluments as soon as the officers concerned are emplaced on the pensionable establishment. In other words, for pensionable officers these allowances attract variable allowance in the same way as basic salary and are taken into account for purposes of computing pension and gratuity. This system of post allowances, I agree, has led to many anomalies in the service, chief among them being the fact that principals of secondary schools draw a higher rate of allowance than Inspectors of Schools when logically it should be the other way round.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, That, notwithstanding Standing Orders, Parliament do now adjourn. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That, notwithstanding Standing Orders, Parliament do now adjourn. Adjourned accordingly at Twenty-seven minutes to Eight o'clock p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, may I seek your consent and the general assent of Members to move a motion for the suspension of Standing Orders, so that the House may adjourn earlier than 8.00 p.m.?”
“Yes, Sir. Thereupon Mr Speaker left the Chair of the Committee and took the Chair of the House, ADJOURNMENT 7.31 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in the first year, Primary 1, and also Primary 2 to a large extent, teaching is mainly oral. I do not see why a reasonably intelligent child cannot improve in the second or third year. Perhaps the Member for Bras Basah should persuade parents of children failing in the first year, i.e., Primary 1, to pay more attention to their children's studies. LEGALISATION OF ABORTION (Representations by organisations) 4. Mrs Devan Nair asked the Minister for Health if he will sympathetically consider any representations made or to be made to him by religious and other organisations against the proposed legalisation of abortion.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I have enumerated a number of reasons why retention at Primary 1 and Primary 2 is not possible at this stage. If the Member thinks that retention at Primaries 1 and 2 level is desirable, then that is his opinion. But it runs counter to the views of educationists.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the practice of automatic promotion was, in fact, abolished in 1959. Schools at present may retain pupils in Primaries 3, 4, 5 and 6. However, retention at Primaries 1 and 2 level is at present not possible for the following reasons. Firstly, it is the policy of the Government to ensure that every Singapore citizen who is of school-going age is given a place in school. As the number of such children is enormous, it is not possible to retain pupils in Primary 1 without depriving some of these school-going children of their places. Secondly, it is also considered unsound by educationists to retain pupils at the end of the first year in school for psychological reasons. Thirdly, the Lim Tay Boh Commission of inquiry recommended that the first three years of primary school work should be planned as a single coordinated unit and the final assessment of a child's progress should be made at the end of the third year.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a certain amount of study time might have been lost in the process of applying for a transfer, but that cannot be helped. I do not think the time lost is in any way excessive. STOPPING OF AUTOMATIC PROMOTION IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS 3. Mr Lee Teck Him asked the Minister for Education whether he will consider stopping automatic promotion in primary schools especially in promotions to Primary 2 and Primary 3.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the affected pupils can always apply for a transport bursary, and if they merit such an award, it will be given.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, that is precisely what my Ministry has been doing for the past few years. For instance, early this year 5,200 students applied for transfer, and of this number, 4,600 were approved. That, I am sure, answers the point of the Member.”
“The Minister for Finance has already answered for me.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I think the Member for Punggol knows exactly what I mean. There is no need to explain in further detail.”
“Could the Minister be more explicit in explaining the phrase "subject to adequate provision in the 1968 Budget"?”
“Mr Speaker. Sir, it is expected that, subject to adequate provision in the 1968 Budget for education, every Primary VI pupil in Singapore who is successful in the Primary School Leaving Examination this year will be given a place in a secondary academic, technical or vocational school. However, it is obviously not possible to meet the wishes of every parent in regard to the choice of a particular school. No system of allocation can please everyone. The present system of allocation for the Chinese and English streams, which has been in operation since 1965, is processed by computers. It is based on the choice exercised by the parents and the results of the Primary School Leaving Examination. Under this system the vast majority of successful candidates are posted to schools of their own choice. For example, in 1966, out of a total of 32,602 successful candidates, 21,074 were posted to schools according to their first choice, and 6,036 were posted according to their second choice. Only 5,492 or 16.8 per cent were posted to schools other than their choice, because all vacancies in the schools of their choice were taken up by other candidates with better results in the Primary School Leaving Examination. Among the 5,492 pupils who failed to secure a place under their first as well as second choice, about 5,200 applied for transfers. Of these, 4,600 were approved and only 600 could not be approved, because all vacancies in schools near their homes had already been taken up by other pupils with better examination results. Mr Ng Kah Ting (Punggol): Mr Speaker, Sir, just now the Minister has said that, subject to adequate provision in the 1968 Budget, it appears that all students who passed the Primary School Leaving Examination would be given places.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Government has decided to set up an Institute for South-East Asian Studies to carry out systematic research into affairs of South-East Asian countries, their history, geography, ethnography, economics, political science, culture, etc. The site of the Institute and its library will be located near the University of Singapore. HAWKERS' LICENCE FEES (Reduction) 17. Mr P. Govindaswamy asked the Minister for Health whether he will consider reducing hawkers' licence fees from $10 to $6 in respect of day stalls and from $20 to $12 in respect of night stalls.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the recognition of foreign university degrees lies with the Public Service Commission and not with my Ministry. The provision of the two-year training course at the Teachers' Training College is to enable these hitherto untrained teachers to obtain professional qualifications and thereby become better and more effective teachers. Professional training for this category of teachers is optional. SOUTH-EAST ASIAN STUDY AND RESEARCH CENTRE 16. Mr S. Rajoo asked the Minister for Education whether the Government will consider setting up a "South-East Asian Study and Research Centre" to do constant research into the ethnological, cultural, political and historical aspects of the South-East Asian races and people.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Third time." The Bill has already been considered by a Select Committee and the Committee's Report is before the House. All the amendments made in Committee are of a purely technical and typographical character. The substance of the original Bill has not been changed. This Bill, which was tabled at the request of the Kongsi, has its full support. The passing of the Bill will enable the College to enjoy the status of a corporation with its constitution embodied in an Ordinance. The enactment of the Bill will confirm the establishment of Ngee Ann College as an institution with a legal identity. It will also assist in enlisting financial support for the College from foundations, institutions and philanthropists. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Third time and passed. 6.04 p.m. ADJOURNMENT TO A DATE TO BE FIXED (Motion) Resolved, "That at its rising this day Parliament do stand adjourned to a date to be fixed." -[Mr Lim Kim San]. ADJOURNMENT MOTION”
“I am not aware of the case. NANYANG UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS FOR OLD-SYSTEM STUDENTS OF NGEE ANN COLLEGE 11. Mr Ang Nam Piau asked the Minister for Education if he will request the appropriate authorities to examine the possibility of examinations being set by Nanyang University for the old-system students of Ngee Ann College and the conferment of degrees by Nanyang University on those students who pass the examinations. Mr Ong Pang Boon: Mr Speaker, Sir, the courses available at Ngee Ann College, being mainly technical and technological in nature, are widely different from the academic courses at Nanyang University. It is, therefore, not possible to work out a scheme whereby students of Ngee Ann College can sit for the degree examinations of Nanyang University. However, Ngee Ann students are free to apply for admission to Nanyang University and seek exemption from such parts of the University's degree courses as may have been covered in Ngee Ann College. To what extent such exemption may be granted is a matter for the Nanyang University authorities to decide. The Member for Thomson is no doubt aware that Ngee Ann students under the present system are eligible for degrees conferred by the college. Of the last batch of Ngee Ann graduates, 14 have been selected by the Public Service Commission for appointment in the civil service. INTEGRATED PRIMARY SCHOOL IN JALAN MEMBINA 12. Mr Lee Teck Him asked the Minister for Education when work will commence on the proposed integrated primary school in Jalan Membina in Kampong Tiong Bahru.”
“Sir, will the Member repeat the last part of his supplementary question?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a cumulative record card has been the subject of research and planning in my Ministry for some time. The in- tention is that a cumulative record should be kept of every pupil from the day he enters school until he leaves school. Periodical entries will be made in this card not only in respect of those qualities mentioned by the Member for Paya Lebar, but also in respect of changes in his family circumstances, his progress in school, his mental and physical development, his out-of-school activities and interests, and many other details which will give a complete picture of the pupil's growth and development at any stage of his school career. It is hoped that this cumulative record card will be issued to schools in 1968.”
“The breakdown figures are as follows: - No. of children Language stream registered (i) Malay 3,043 (ii) Chinese 18,883 (iii) Tamil 95 (iv) English 34,765 ------ Total 56,736 ====== Places will be available for all children who are eligible for admission to Primary One classes in 1968. About 52,000 children or 92 per cent of children registered will be admitted to schools of their parent's choice. It is not possible for every child to be accommodated in the school of his or her parent's choice because some parents have registered their children in schools in which all places have already been taken up at the time they applied for their children. However, these children will be posted to schools which have vacancies near their homes. CENTRAL PROVIDENT FUND BOARD (Appointment) 7. Inche Mohd. Ariff Bin Suradi asked the Minister for Labour if he is able to say whether the appointment of General Manager of the Central Provident Fund Board is on a permanent or contract basis.”
“The annual grant by the Government to the Boy Scouts' Association was increased as recently as 1966, from $10,000 to $13,000. It is the Government's policy to encourage youth movements to enlist public support for their activities, and I was informed that the Boy Scouts have been successful in raising funds through their own efforts. For these reasons, it is not anticipated that there will be any substantial increase in the Government grant to the Boy Scouts' Association in the near future. COMMUNITY CENTRE CRAWFORD CONSTITUENCY 5. Mr Ng Yeow Chong asked the Minister of Defence, in view of the demolition of the Minto Road Community Centre and the imminent demolition of the Beach Road Community Centre, whether the Government has any plans to build a new community centre in the area. Mr Lim Kim San: Negotiations have begun with the Head of Urban Renewal for a site within the present Housing Board project bounded by Sumbawa Road, Beach Road, Crawford Street and North Bridge Road. The prospects of obtaining such a site for the construction of a new community centre appear favourable. PRIMARY ONE CLASSES (1968 Admission) 6. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Education whether he will give the breakdown figures of the number of children registered for Primary One Classes in 1968 in the four language streams; and whether all will be given places in the school of their parents' choice.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, in accordance with the provisions of Standing Order 64, I beg to move, That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection. Question put, and agreed to. Resolved, That the Bill be committed to a Select Committee consisting of Mr Speaker as Chairman and seven Members to be nominated by the Committee of Selection. CONTROL OF IMPORTS AND EXPORTS (AMENDMENT) BILL Order for Second Reading read. 4.20 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the decision to set up Ngee Ann College as a community college was taken by Ngee Ann Kongsi itself, and this Bill is introduced at the request of the Kongsi. Actually I am a bit puzzled because the Member for Thomson, whilst supporting the introduction of this Bill, spoke against the concept of a community college. The Bill provides specifically for the setting up of a community college. I do not see how he can speak against the setting up of a community college and yet support the Bill. Mr Speaker, Sir, I am not going into the merits and demerits of the academic staff appointed by Ngee Ann College and whether the existing Ngee Ann College has the facilities, the staff and the financial support to enable it to be run as a university. I think all this has been thoroughly gone into by the Thong Saw Pak Committee. Most of the comments raised by the Member for Thomson should, I think, have been directed to Ngee Ann Kongsi anyway. The Member for Paya Lebar raised the question of the setting up of a Department of Physical Education for Ngee Ann College. This is very much in the mind of the Ministry of Education. We are, in fact, in the process of planning the setting up of such a department at the Teachers' Training College. As I have said earlier, this Bill will be referred to a Select Committee. I think there will be ample opportunity for Members who are interested in this particular piece of legislation to voice their opinions in Select Committee. Question put, and agreed to. Bill accordingly read a Second time.”
“It would assist in enlisting financial support from foundations, institutions and philanthropists. Clause 5 of the Bill provides for a Council and a Senate. Clause 6 provides that the Council shall be the supreme governing and executive body of the College, whilst clause 13 delegates responsibility for the promotion of instruction and research, the conducting of examinations for its students and the award of certificates, diplomas and other academic qualifications to the Senate. The composition of the 17-man Council is set out in clause 7. Three members of the Council will be appointed by the Committee of Management of Ngee Ann Kongsi from amongst members of the Kongsi which will be providing the main financial support for the establishment and maintenance of the College, whilst an equal number will be appointed by the Minister for Education under clause 7 (c) . Adequate representation from commercial and industrial interests has also been provided. Clause 7 (d) allows for representation from the Senate and full-time staff of the College. All these provisions have been made to ensure that the College contributes to the intellectual, cultural, commercial and industrial welfare of Singapore. Emphasis has, however, been made on the development of studies in the sciences, technology and commerce, as other educational fields are at present well provided for by our two Universities and the future of our economy will depend to a large extent on our industrial and commercial activities. Mr Speaker, Sir, as this is a hybrid Bill, it will at the end of the Second Reading be referred to a Select Committee in accordance with the provisions of the Standing Order. Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move. Question proposed. 3.35 p.m.”
“The scope of the agitation was expanded and middle school students, Nanyang University, University of Singapore and Polytechnic undergraduates became involved in it, culminating in security action being taken against them. Members will recall how the Ngee Ann students rioted in front of the City Hall on 4th November, 1966, and when the police finally moved into the Ngee Ann College premises at Tank Road in the early morning of 19th November, 1966, they were met with stiff resistance and finally 66 Nanyang University expelled students and 65 Ngee Ann students were flushed out of the building where they had barricaded themselves. Since then, events have taken a turn for the better. At an extraordinary general meeting of the Kongsi held on 18th February, 1967, the Thong Saw Pak Report was accepted by the Kongsi in tow, with the exception that the present premises of the College at Tank Road could not be turned over to the College because the ownership is vested in the Teochew Association and not the Kongsi. This means that Ngee Ann College will be reorganised in accordance with the Thong Saw Pak Report and the Kongsi will, in future, turn over to the College half of its annual income. The Kongsi has also decided that, pending reorganisation of the College, no new students will be enrolled this year. This Bill is introduced consequent upon the acceptance of the Thong Saw Pak Report by the Kongsi as a first step towards the implementation of the Report so as to enable the College to enjoy the status of a corporation with its constitution embodied in the Ordinance. The Bill has the full agreement of the Kongsi. The enactment of the Bill would confirm the establishment of Ngee Ann College as a permanent institution.”
“The Committee recommends that during this interim period - the length of which cannot be specified, because there are too many variables - the College be reorganised into a community college with courses leading only to diplomas. The existing courses can continue until all students have completed their courses, i.e., till 1970, but no new students are to be admitted to them. Since the College has so committed itself, the Committee recommends that degrees be awarded to all the present students, including those admitted in 1966, for passing the final examinations for which external examiners are to be appointed, who will advise the College in adopting a realistic standard. At some later date, as soon as the College has become well established as a community college, a separate assessment of the situation should be undertaken by the College authorities and, depending on the future needs of the Republic, the College can then proceed with the final part of its development programme of providing degree courses in Engineering, Commerce and Technology. Meanwhile, for the community college the Committee lists an extensive coverage of courses which can be offered of immediate importance to building trades, electricity, radio and T.V. technology, metal work, woodwork, ceramics, commercial and industrial arts, industrial laboratory techniques and shipyard trades. The students became concerned about their future. A boycott of classes was mounted in June 1965 over the delay of the Kongsi in completing the buildings at the Clementi Road site. Another boycott of classes directed against the Thong Saw Pak Report took place in October 1966. This boycott was exploited by the pro-Communist elements and the Barisan Sosialis.”
“Therefore, in mid 1964 Professor Lucian Pye, a political economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Mr Arthur Singer of the Carnegie Corporation in the United States were invited by the Kongsi to survey the College and make recommendations as to its future development and expansion. The Pye/ Singer Report recommended that the position of the College in the educational structure of the Republic needed to be redefined and that Ngee Ann College should develop into a community college to train technicians needed for our industrialisation programme. In February 1966, the Kongsi decided to set up a Committee of Review, headed by Professor Thong Saw Pak, with the following terms of reference: `To review the organisation of the Ngee Ann College with special reference to the courses of study at present available at the College and, in the light of the findings and the needs of our country, to recommend to the Ngee Ann Kongsi in what way this institution of higher learning should be developed, and how the organisation and courses of study should be improved in order to bring about such development.' The Thong Saw Pak Committee submitted its report to the Kongsi in July 1966. This report was released by the Kongsi in September of the same year. The Committee recommends that the College should be reorganised into a community college administered by a 17-man council with representatives from the Kongsi, the Ministry of Education, the Economic Development Board and prominent citizens from a broad area of community life in Singapore. The Committee consider that the College may eventually attain its objective of university status. This cannot, however, be accomplished overnight. There must be an interim period during which difficulties can be ironed out.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I beg to move, "That the Bill be now read a Second time." Ngee Ann College was established in April 1963 and is registered under the Education Ordinance as a private institution and financed and administered by Ngee Ann Kongsi. When it was first established, Government was given to understand that the Kongsi had ample funds to finance the project and that Government financial assistance would not be necessary then and in the future. On that understanding, Government had given its blessing to the establishment of the college as a private institution and subsequently approved the plans for permanent buildings to be erected in Clementi Road. Therefore, insofar as Government is concerned, the financial aid given to the College has been confined, since its inception, to the award of bursaries which amounted to $82,000 in 1966. In the beginning, the College was sited at the Tank Road premises which belong to the Teochew Association. Later 40 acres of the Kongsi land at Clementi Road were used for building the Technology Department of the College and the Kongsi has promised that the rent collected from the College will be returned to the College as a grant. Ngee Ann Kongsi, however, had difficulties in providing funds for the construction of the new buildings at Clementi Road. Furthermore, there was no assurance of a regular income to meet annual recurrent expenditure. In fact, this situation is still prevailing. There were also doubts as to how the College could best serve the needs of our community.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, it is not the intention that the services of teachers in Government-aided schools on reaching the age of 60 will be terminated in all cases, as in the interest of education, the experience and expertise of the consistently good ones should be retained, if necessary even in promotion posts, to help build up the character of schools and education generally. The suggestion of a long-service gratuity scheme will be submitted to the Treasury for consideration. CITY CLEANSING (Educational campaigns and legislation against litter-throwing) 7. Mr Ng Kah Ting asked the Minister for Health if he will consider conducting campaigns to educate the people to keep their City clean, and if he will introduce legislation to punish the indiscriminate throwing of litter.”
“Mr Tay Boon Too asked the Minister for Education if he will consider (a) terminating the services of teachers in Government-Aided Schools when they have reached the age of 60 years and recruiting younger teachers to fill their places; and (b) the payment to retiring teachers in such schools of a long-service gratuity equivalent to one year's difference between the last-drawn salary of the retiring teacher and the salary of a new recruit.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the Adult Education Centre project was first submitted to the Economic Planning Unit for inclusion in the Second Five-Year Plan in August 1964. A revised project was put up by the Board in March 1965. This was supported by the Ministry and forwarded to the Economic Planning Unit. The Working Party of Permanent Secretaries, which was set up to examine all development projects for the Second Plan, approved the provision of $1.5 million for the Adult Education Centre in July 1965. The Board prepared a new submission for inclusion of the project in the 1966 Development Estimates in March 1966. In July 1966, the Economic Planning Unit requested for additional data to evaluate the project. This was submitted on 1st September, 1966. A token vote was provided in the 1967 Development Estimates for the Adult Education Centre project. This is an indication of the low priority accorded to the project, and it does not appear likely that it will be cleared this year. As for the Junior Colleges, piling work on the site for the first Junior College at Linden Drive has almost been completed, and the construction of this building is scheduled to commence in September. It is estimated that the College will be completed by the end of 1968. The building of two more Junior Colleges under the 1967 school building programme is under consideration. If these two projects are cleared early, it may be possible for the buildings to be completed in 1969. GOVERNMENT-AIDED SCHOOL TEACHERS (Retirement age and long-service gratuity) 6.”
“Those who prefer to spend such periods preparing for other subjects may do so, and supervision is provided wherever possible. INDUSTRIAL HEALTH SERVICE 2. Mr Yeoh Ghim Seng asked the Minister for Health when he wil1l start an Industrial Health Service in view of the rapid expansion of industries in our Nation.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, as a general rule, a full-time teacher is posted to a secondary school to teach Tamil as a secondary language if there are at least four classes of 15 pupils each, or 60 pupils in all, who require instruction in that subject. In such a situation, the school will have 15 periods of Tamil a week, the minimum number to warrant the posting of a full-time teacher. In practice, the rule is not rigidly enforced and the Ministry will post a full-time teacher to a school even where there are fewer than four classes, or where some of the classes have fewer than 15 pupils each, so long as there are no less than 15 periods of Tamil on the time-table. If a group of schools in the same vicinity jointly satisfy the minimum requirements and if their time-tables can be arranged to suit, a visiting Tamil teacher is sent to serve the group. At present , there are three secondary schools which satisfy the minimum requirements and have full-time Tamil teachers on their staff. They are Raffles Institution, Naval Base Full School and Pasir Panjang Secondary School. In secondary schools which do not qualify for a full-time or a visiting Tamil teachers, pupils who wish to study Tamil as a second language can do so at any one of the 18 Tamil language centres: nine functioning in the morning and the other nine in the afternoon. Each centre is located in a secondary school to serve a group of other secondary schools in the same neighbour-hood. Pupils are free to attend the centre serving their own school or another centre which may be nearer their home. Pupils who do not receive instruction in the second language of their choice in school during the second language periods are encouraged to study as a non-examination subject whatever second language is taught during such periods.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, mixed farming will be introduced in 1968 as an elective subject in the secondary vocational classes in the rural areas. Towards this end, 17 trainees are at present undergoing a two-year full-time content training in mixed farming at the Sembawang Farm School. After the completion of the training at the school in May 1967, they will undergo a further one year of part-time professional training at the Teachers' Training College. The possibility of introducing Rural Science in other secondary classes in the rural areas is under consideration. COVENT GARDENS IN DELTA CONSTITUENCY (Measures to improve health environment) 5. Madam Chan Choy Siong asked the Minister for Health whether he is aware that the health environment of Covent Gardens in the Delta Constituency has been poor and what measures he proposes to take to improve it.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, the extensions to the T.T.C., for which a million dollars has been asked, were started in the middle of 1965 and are due for completion next year. They include a four-storey teaching block containing a lecture room, a T.V. studio, a Domestic Science room, Science laboratories, workshops and language laboratories, a library, a hall and a gymnasium. These extensions will enable the T.T.C. to provide training courses for specialist teachers who are required for secondary schools and will help to improve the quality of teacher training. The introduction of closed circuit television for teacher training is of significant importance in our efforts to improve teacher training. It is true that the mass recruitment of teachers and the continuation of the part-time training of teachers have been largely responsible for our inability to improve the quality of our teachers and the standard of teaching in our schools. It is for this reason that we are introducing full-time training on a small scale beginning from this year. Under this full-time training system, a fee of $120 per annum for each student will be charged. But bursaries of $600 per year will be awarded to poor students. For the information of the hon. Member, consideration is being given to the planning of courses for full-time teacher training and also the possibility of extending the period of full-time training from two to three years. We think that with the introduction of the three-year full-time training, the quality of our teachers will definitely show a marked improvement.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, most of the extension work to the Singapore Vocational Institute at Balestier Road will be completed round about this year and the next. It is envisaged that not all the work can be completed this year and, therefore, a provision of $300,000 only is entered in the Estimates. In so far as the Jurong Vocational Institute of Engineering and the Queenstown Vocational Institute of Manual and Applied Arts are concerned, they are still in the planning stage. It is not expected that extensive construction work can be carried out by the end of next year. Therefore, only $100,000 has been provided for each of these institutes. It is true that there are vacancies in our secondary technical schools, for the simple reason that technical education is something new and parents are still reluctant to choose secondary technical education for their children. However, from the trend in the past few years, I think we can foresee that more and more parents will in future send their children to technical schools. Of course, it is possible to fill all the vacancies in the technical schools by refusing the parents any choice. We can do so quite simply by just channelling students to technical schools or academic type of schools or commercial schools as we think fit. It is possible that we may come to that stage if the response from the parents to send their children to technical schools is not forthcoming. But I can anticipate that when we decide for the parents, there will be considerable criticism and resistance. I hope the Member for Sembawang then will stand up for the Ministry of Education.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid there is no plan to build any secondary school in the Farrer Park Constituency. Mr Teong Eng Siong(In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, I thank the Minister for his explanation. I beg leave to withdraw the amendment. Amendment, by leave, withdrawn. The sum of $22,463,300 for Head 21 ordered to stand part of the Development Estimates. Head 22 -”
“Yes, basketball, in the halls of the 1965 type. Sir, as I have said, I agree with the Member for Paya Lebar and we will always pay attention to this aspect, and we will try to ensure that all schools will make full use of these new halls.”
“It is true that education in the present secondary vocational schools lasts for two years only and that the students will have to leave at the end of a two-year course. But the Member for Sembawang should realise that our present minimum school-leaving age, which is 16, is one of the highest in the world. In fact, in the United Kingdom the minimum school-leaving age is 15. While everybody would like to keep their children in school for as long as possible, I think it is just financially not possible to raise the school-leaving age to 18. I agree with the Member for Paya Lebar that our school halls should be designed for multi purposes. In fact, the new school halls are so designed, apart from gymnastic equipment provided for in the new halls, that many other indoor games can also be played in the halls e.g., badminton, sepak raga - An hon. Member: Basketball?”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, while I agree that the distribution of schools should always take into consideration the interests of the students in the city as well as students living in the rural area, it has not always been possible to do so for the simple reason that land in the city area is difficult to acquire. 3.30 p.m. In the rural areas sometimes suitable sites are either occupied by squatters, or for some reason acquisition of the sites will entail considerable time. Therefore, we have to site our schools depending on the demand as well as the sites available. For next year secondary schools are proposed to be built at the following sites: (1) Chestnut Drive, which is in the rural area. (2) Junction of Crescent and Dun-man Roads. (3) Linden Drive, I think, is also in the rural area. (4) Lowland Road, also in the rural area. (5) Jalan Bukit Merah. (6) Junction of Sennet and Upper East Coast Roads, which is also in the rural area. (7) Toa Payoh - I am not certain whether it is going to be rural or urban now. (8) Mount Vernon, which is another rural area. (9) Jalan Hwi Yoh, another rural area. (10) Tiong Bahru sewerage site. (11) Tiong Bahru fire site. (12) Changi Road 6¾ m.s., another rural area. (13) Toa Payoh. (14) Whitley Road. (15) Queenstown. From the list of school sites that have been approved for next year, Mr Speaker, Sir, you will notice that most of the schools, in fact, will be sited in the rural areas. Although there are no plans for the building of secondary schools in the Sembawang area in 1967, there is a proposal to convert the existing Naval Base Full School into a secondary school and for extensions to be built to enable the school to increase the secondary school enrolment.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, a primary school was scheduled to be built at Hindoo Road under the 1966 Development Estimates. However, because of the restricted site, a multi-storey building had to be designed. This increased the estimated cost of the building to $700,000, which was about $260,000 more than the average cost of a standard-size primary school. This revised cost did not meet with the approval of the Finance Ministry and, therefore, the project was dropped. However, land will be available in the Kallang Basin re-development area for the building of a standard primary school which will serve the people living in the Kampong Kapor area and the new Housing and Development Board flats at Kallang Basin. Plans for the building of primary schools in the Kampong Kapor area will have to await re-development of the precincts under the urban renewal scheme.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am afraid Nanyang University has not been able to draw up a blue-print for its future expansion. The provision in the Development Estimates so far is meant only for conversion of existing hostels and quarters for students and staff, because the present facilities are inadequate and badly designed. Whether the University should undertake the construction itself, or whether the Government should carry out the conversion and construction and present it to the University has not been decided.”
“However, the financial position of the State is such that this project has to be reconsidered. As far as educational television is concerned, if the Member for Sembawang was present when the Supplementary Estimates for this subject were discussed in this House, he would not have raised that question just now. But for his benefit I might as well tell him briefly that the languages to be used by the E.T.V, will be English and Chinese in the first instance for obvious reasons, and that the subjects offered will be English language, Chinese as a second language, Mathematics and Science. The proposed Physical Education Centre is to replace the temporary accommodation now provided for the Physical Education Inspectorate at the National Recreation Centre in Kallang. I agree with the Member that we should have more specialists, P.E. instructors to train more P.E. teachers for schools, and that students who are good in P.E. should be properly coached so that in time to come they can take part in international competitions. I think a plan is afoot to create a Department of Physical Education at the Teachers' Training College to train teachers for the schools, and I hope that as soon as finances are available this Department of Physical Education will be set up. 3.15 p.m.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, I am indeed pleased with the keen interest shown by the Member for Sembawang in educational matters. In fact, I agree with a lot of what he has said and I can assure him that my Ministry will be doing its best in the coming year when we will be shifting the emphasis from quantity to quality in the educational field. It is true that the supply of doctors from the University of Singapore is inadequate to meet the needs of Singapore. It is for this reason that the expansion programme in respect of the University of Singapore will be reviewed and reconsidered. In fact, earlier this month I have already informed the University of Singapore authorities that they must plan for an output of about three times the present number of doctors from the University to meet the needs of Singapore as well as other places. So I think that aspect of the problem is well in hand, but the Member for Sembawang should realise that it takes six years to produce a doctor. Until then a certain shortage will still be there. As for the Department of Civil Aviation, there is no plan yet at the moment to create such a department in the University of Singapore. There is, however, a proposal to set up a separate Technological University sometime in the future, and I think this subject will be more appropriate for the future Technological University to consider. The proposal to set up an Adult Education Centre is still under consideration. However, this does not mean that the adult education classes currently carried out in the various schools will be affected. I agree with him that an Adult Education Centre is very necessary to enable the Adult Education Board to function more efficiently and effectively.”
“Mr Speaker, Sir, for 1965 and 1966 the two Industrial Arbitration Courts disposed of 230 cases. Of these, awards were handed down in 116 cases, and the other 114 cases were settled out of court by the parties and by the Registrar under the direction of the Court. As regards pending cases, the position of the two Courts as at 12th December, 1966 was as follows: Cases pending award 10 Cases currently being heard and pending 52 Cases to be withdrawn 18 If the cases to be withdrawn and the cases pending award are not taken into account, then the number of cases currently being heard and pending amounts to only 52. Of these, 18 are currently being heard by the two Courts, leaving a balance of 34 cases for which dates of hearing have not been fixed, in some instances at the request of the disputing parties. This is a distinctly favourable position to carry forward into 1967. The Courts have never been in such a favourable position since the last President relinquished office on 14th September, 1964. These 52 cases, if roughly divided between the two Courts will put the current position at 26 cases per Court. This is a manageable position for the Courts.”