hangs over the summer school programme.

And it could still mean action will be taken against the cuts if the threatened closure of summer programmes goes ahead.

The Parent Teachers Association says it will fight the closures, although it has backed down in its opposition to other cuts, amounting to $2 million.

But Education Minister the Hon. Gerald Simons said yesterday he is still looking at ways of saving the programmes.

Mr. Simons and Finance Minister the Hon. David Saul met parents at the Elbow Beach Hotel on Saturday to explain why the cuts were being made. More than 60 parents turned up to hear what the ministers had to say.

Mr. Simons said he felt the meeting had been a success. He said: "Dr. Saul told them about the need for Government to make cuts in expenditure in all departments. I went through the proposals for education showing the impact of each cut.

"Parents would prefer, and I would prefer, no cuts at all in education, but under the circumstances they have to be made. We are trying to increase efficiency without impairing education.'' Dr. Saul explained cuts had to be made to balance the revenue budget of all Government departments because international banks would only lend money if the budget was balanced.

"The restructuring of the education system will be the biggest programme the Government has ever embarked upon, so we have to effect economies right now,'' said Mr. Simons. "We are looking at sabbaticals and reducing the teaching staff but that will not just mean slashing the numbers of teachers.'' Mr. Simons said a lot of parents had complained the cuts should come in the administration section. Although he has promised to look at staffing, he pointed out to the audience the vital roles played by most of the 75 people in administration, comparing it to nearly 600 teachers.

The Education Minister said that the PTA seemed to have accepted most of the cuts provided they were carried out sympathetically.

He said: "I do not want to remove the summer programme and I will be looking at ways of reducing the budget in other ways in the next couple of weeks.'' PTA Treasurer Mr. John Thorne, said: "I think generally the people who attended the meeting were happy with the planned cuts except for the summer programme.

"We accept that money can be saved in joining small classes together and using fewer teachers, but we cannot accept the loss of the summer programme,'' he said.

Mr. Thorne said the two ministers asked for the views of the parents' at the meeting by asking for a show of hands on each cut.

"Most of them agreed with most cuts but there was a big vote against the closure of the summer schools,'' he said. "The Education Minister says the summer programme will be the first to be re-introduced when the economic situation returns to what it was, but will it ever return to what it was? "A lot of students are involved in the summer programme and we almost certainly will oppose its closure at our meeting next week.'' They will meet on Monday, February 15, at the Peace Lutheran Church, in Paget.