§ 25. Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make a statement on future educational developments planned for the British Solomon Islands Protectorate.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThe High Commissioner for the Western Pacific is pre- paring proposals for the development of educational facilities in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate. These proposals will include assistance to missions and Local Government Councils for the expansion of primary education, the provision of additional places at the Government secondary school for boys, additional facilities for technical training within the Protectorate and the extension of the arrangements which exist for secondary school places for girls, for technical training and for post-secondary studies for advanced students, in educational institutions outside the Protectorate.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies if he will make an estimate of the number of primary school places in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate, and of the number of children of primary school age.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodThere are approximately 18,500 children of primary school age. 11,000 places are available in registered primary schools and 4,500 places in exempted schools. The latter are mainly catechetical and classes are held only for a few hours each day.
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§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many secondary school places there were in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate at the most convenient recent date; and how many of these were occupied by Melanesians and Polynesians, respectively.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodAt the beginning of this month, there were 75 secondary school places. Forty were occupied by Melanesians and four by Polynesians. Thirty-one were vacant.
§ Mr. G. M. Thomsonasked the Secretary of State for the Colonies how many Melanesians and Polynesians domiciled in the British Solomon Islands Protectorate are at present undergoing postsecondary courses of higher education inside and outside the Protectorate, respectively.
§ Mr. Iain MacleodNone at present. But 25 students now studying overseas are expected within the next few years to take advantage of facilities for postsecondary studies at educational institutions outside the Protectorate.