EDUCATION SECRETARY BACKS BASICS, OPPOSES VOUCHERS

The nation's public schools should set high standards and stress basic skills, Education Secretary Richard Riley said.

Society should expect its children to learn more and learn better, he said. But federal vouchers to allow students to attend private schools aren't the answer, he said.

"I think that could be very destructive of public schools," Riley said in a telephone interview Thursday from Washington. It could lead to enrollment declines and less funding for public schools, and wouldn't assure quality education, he said.

"There are great private schools and great parochial schools, and then there are sorry ones," he said.

Riley will deliver the commencement address Saturday at Southeast Missouri State University. He was invited to speak by his friend, Dr. Bill Atchley, who is president of Southeast. Atchley was president of Clemson University in South Carolina when Riley was governor of that state.

Riley said the federal government must continue to fund education. "We have got to have a nation of educated people," he said.

Riley said the Clinton administration believes the government can spend more on education and still reach the goal of a balanced budget.

"We think it is a matter of priorities and not whether or not you are going to support education," he said.

Riley gave mixed marks to the state of education today.

"I go into schools every day that are just outstanding," he said. At those schools, teachers, principals, parents and students all work together.

But Riley also has seen his share of schools that are in poor shape. Many of the schools are in areas punctuated by poverty, broken homes, drugs and violence, he said.

"Some schools are in bad shape and need to be totally changed," said Riley, who spearheaded major reforms in South Carolina's public schools.

But overall, education has improved across the nation, Riley said.

"Throughout the country, there is big attention to education now; the public interest in improving education is very strong."

Riley praised Southeast for its efforts to make education "engaging, relevant and practical."

Riley said, "This school is considered to be an up-and-coming institution that has a very good reputation."