Ms Smith, who is also the Shadow Education Minister, expressed concern that children as young as five years old were turning up at school during the early morning hours without supervision.

Speaking on VSB's Sunday Morning Talk Show "What, When, Where'', Ms Smith noted that the average parent had to drop their children off at school long before the 9 a.m. starting time.

A school breakfast programme and homework assistance could be provided before classes began, she suggested.

And she pointed out that most parents did not finish work until 5 p.m. while the school day ended at 3 or 3.30 p.m. for students. She said there was a need for free afterschool care.

Ms Smith could not be reached for elaboration on her comments yesterday.

But Education Minister Jerome Dill said: "We are prepared to do whatever is in the interest of the children.'' Mr. Dill, however, noted that his Ministry would first have to determine the needs and demands of parents.

"We cater to a majority of our parents when we say we will provide supervision for their children as needed,'' he said.

"When people register their children in a Government pre-school, they are asked about their requirements after school. If there are sufficient numbers of students required to stay around, then supervision is provided.'' Mr. Dill pointed out that schools generally opened at 8.45.

"But the Collective Agreement of teachers is that they should be presented at least 15 minutes before school time, about 8.30 a.m.,'' he added.

"The primary schools operate under the Youth and Sports' afterschool programme.'' Afterschool care was a less of problem at the secondary school level, Mr. Dill noted.

"But we do pay our teachers honoraria for extra curricular activities,'' he said.

"Obviously we know that children can benefit from extra curricular activity and also we have a lot of people who are working parents.'' However, Mr. Dill admitted that extending the school day in the morning was more of a problem because he said it meant teachers would be required to be at work at 8 a.m.