US Trust Territory's Plans
p. 69 · Read in the full issue
• Seeing that secondary education ;ept pace with the accelerated educa ation programme. • Expanding and developing adult ducation and increasing the number f scholarships.
“One of our big handicaps has been ae lack of a common language,” Mr.
Joding said. “This must be over ome. The overwhelming demand for English on the part of students, tea hers, and parents no longer can be paored.
“Well over a year ago last January, major change was instituted, estab shing English as the language of in ruction for our elementary schools.
Big Handicap
“English will be used as the ledium of instruction wherever sachers are capable and ready to use . Our big handicap has been our aorly prepared teachers.
“Yet in spite of this handicap, we ave put this policy into effect in >me schools. In Ponape, Koror, aipan and other areas, it has been jmonstrated that teaching can be ane in English in our beginning •ades.
“While our major emphasis this jar and next will be in the acceler ed education programme, secondary id advanced education will not be jglected.
“A start on a high school pro amme for each district was unched last year with the opening ! the tenth grade of high schools. I >pe we can appreciably accelerate ir secondary programme in the next w years.
High School Programme
“Each district should have its own iblic high school. A few districts e almost at the point of being able successfully launch a full high hool programme with relatively inimum expansion of buildings and aff. Every encouragement and assis nce will be given to this important lase of our overall educational pro amme.
“Our scholarship programme is be g expanded this coming year—five strict scholarships for each district ther than three per district as for erly.
“Additionally, we have set in mo an the first steps of what we hope
will be a major scholarship pro gramme financed by private founda tions and American universities.
“Our college programme at the College of Guam will be greatly ac celerated by the establishment of a dormitory at the College of Guam site.”
FOOTNOTE; The move in the US Trust Territory to establish a legisla
ture means that there are now only two major territories in the Pacific which do not already have legisla tive councils. The two territories are the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony and the Condominium of the New Hebrides. In the GEIC, there are Island Councils for each island with a settled population which have power to make local regulations and an Advisory Council is planned (see p. 107). In the New Hebrides there are local councils with similar powers to the Island Councils in the GEIC and an Advisory Council which advises the Resident Commissioners on mat ters of national interest.