§ 13. Mr. Swinglerasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (Central African Office) what are now the admission requirements for Africans at the colleges of further education and technical institutes in Northern Rhodesia; how many Africans qualify at present; and what is his estimate of the number of Africans who will qualify when the proposals of the Keir Report are carried out.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe normal minimum entry requirement is education to Form II standard, or its equivalent. Implementation of the Keir Report will not change this. About 5,000 Africans possess this qualification, although only a small proportion are likely to want technical courses.
§ Mr. SwinglerDoes not that Answer reveal that, even with the welcome reforms of the Keir Report, the opportunities for further and higher education of Africans are very limited because only such a small proportion of them receive higher education? Will not the right hon. Gentleman urgently investigate the need to develop the secondary educational system so that more Africans will qualify for higher education?
§ Mr. ButlerI think that the more we can do in this direction the better. The Keir Report is now being considered by a working party appointed by the three sponsors, and when I receive that I may be able to look at the matter further.