Changes in education recently announced by the new Government are necessary and should "make a huge difference in how'' teachers do their job.

President of the Association of School Principals, Livingston Tuzo, expressed this sentiment after reading the Progressive Labour Party's first Throne Speech.

In the speech, Government promised to do the following in education: Create a national curriculum from pre-school to senior school levels; Introduce a policy of mandated class size; Improve pre-schools by constructing purpose-built pre-schools "where necessary'' and providing trained professionals; Relocate para-professionals in pre-schools to primary schools; Place all pre-schools under the Ministry of Education; Abolish the policy of school zones where due to zoning "children must travel by bus to attend school even when there are places available in their neighbourhood school''; and Amend the Education Act to introduce truancy officers, create representative/elected school boards, and give schools autonomy over the service they deliver to their communities.

"The Throne Speech was very, very pro-education,'' Mr. Tuzo said. "There is some common sense things that are going to be welcomed by teachers and principals alike.'' Referring to the decision to place all paraprofessionals in primary schools, Mr. Tuzo said: "Providing that the paraprofessionals are trained, it's a good thing. I have three who perform necessary functions. It should make a difference, particularly at the Primary One and Primary Two level.'' And while the Government has not announced the student-teacher ratio, he said he would like to see no more than 20 students in a class.

"The move to have Orange Valley and the Opportunity Workshop transferred to Health and Social Services, and the Child Development Project moved to Education is a sound one,'' he added.

However, Mr. Tuzo said principals had mixed feelings about school boards.

"There's the question of do we really need that many boards for every school in a community of this size,'' he noted. "Yes it will give us autonomy, but the jury is still out on that one.'' But teachers were generally pleased with the planned changes, Mr. Tuzo said.

"They are refreshing and necessary changes and we really look forward to working with them.

"It will really make our job more efficient. A lot of them are very basic, necessary proposals. We're pleased with it.'' National PTA president Wendy Augustus said she had not yet gone over the speech and all members of the executive had not yet been chosen.

But giving her general views, she said: "The issue of truancy officers came up before in our discussions. There were some parents who were for it and some against it. It is something that we have to put to the general body.'' Ms Augustus said she is trying to organise a general membership meeting before the end of the school term or at least early in the New Year, she added.

The National PTA also planned to schedule a meeting with Premier and Education Minister Jennifer Smith.

HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY HOA