SPAIN'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN

Evening Star, Issue 21091, 2 May 1932, Page 10

SPAIN'S FIVE-YEAR PLAN

The Spanish Republic has embarked on a five-year plan to abolish illiteracy, reduce infant mortality, and snatch the youth of the nation from vagrancy, says the ‘ San Francisco Chronicle.’ Fathering a scheme for placing Spain on a par with other nations in educational matters, Fernando Do Los Rios, Minister of Public Instruction, shows that the department already has increased the number of primary and secondary schools by 7,000 since the establishment of the Republic. He says that approximately 5,000 more schools will he built each year until the number of new schools has reached 27.151. Added to the old schools, this will give Spain a grand total of 63,140 schools by 1936. Tied in closely with this building programme is a project to scale up teachers’ salaries so that the schools may ho staffed ly expert instructors. As a parallel to this programme authorities liope to reduce infant mortality. The present rate for babies less than a year old is 115 a thousand. Other countries rarely exceed seventy per thousand. Maternal clinics, a deluge of pamphlets for Spanish homes, and the teaching of practical hygiene in schools and community organisations aro included in the tactics to be employed. Scrutiny of all children found begging in tlu streets and their care by the State if they lack other moans of support wit he employed by the Council for Protection of Youth, as its share in the general programme. It has hem unofficially estimated that child heggais in Madrid exceed 1,000. In the other large cities this figure is thought to ho equalled. The countil expects to clear the streets 'of tins distressing spectacle. Employees of the council will he vested with the power of truant officers. Once off' the streets, the children will be housed in the San Francisco barracks. Here they will he examined physically aim mentally, clothed, fed, and instructed.