LOANS TO STUDENTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 109, 11 May 1927, Page 9

LOANS TO STUDENTS.

TRAINING OF TEACHERS.

HEW SCHEME ANNOUNCED.

PROVISION FOR REPAYMENT.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

A new system of providing for the training of teachers was foreshadowed by the Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A. Wright) at the annual conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute The Minister said it was proposed to make loans or advances to the students to carry them through their training, to be repaid by regular instalments when the student began work as a teachei.

It was probable, said Mr. Wrigbt, that the new scheme would cause a «ieal of discussion, and he was not sure how it would be received. The present expenditure on training colleges was £123,000. That very large amount was tbe result of conditions which had prevailed during the war. The Department had to contend with the leakage caused by students who had failed to ctrry out their obligations and had given no return for their expensive training. In ten years there were 180 students who failed to carry out their obligations. It was time the loss to the State was stopped. The scheme they were about to introduce would enable young teachers to be trained without hardship to them•elves, and without loss to the State. The present system would be replaced by one of making loans or advances to the students to cany them through their training, the loans to be repaid in regular instalments when the students began work as teachers.

The initial salary of the young teacher would have to be increased in order to enable him to carry the load It was further proposed that country students should receive a boarding allowance which would not be repayable. He believed it would attract to the •eryice those who were prepared to win their training by individual effort and » measure of self-sacrifice which, should strengthen character and make 1 , for better men and women.