EDUCATION COSTS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 211, 7 September 1933, Page 15

EDUCATION COSTS.

Under the above heading there I appeared in tlio "Auckland Star" ail | account of a speech made by the Hon. Mr. Ransom at Lyttelt.oll. He says, inter alia: "The value of good education is fully appreciated by the Government." "It was imperative that economies should be made without seriously affecting education facilities. The savings were made mostly in the cost of administration, and were in no way an injustice to the children." He had no hesitation in saying that the New Zealand education system was second to none in the Empire. I would like to join issue with the Minister, and by stating the exact facts show how accurate or inaccurate these statements are. New Zealand is the only country in the British Empire to exclude five-year-old children from school. The results tvf these exclusions are briefly these: (a) A valuable year is lost to the child. The children that attend our schools that year are assisted better than anywhere else in forming good habits —obedience, orderliness, controlled activity, co-operation with others; (b) five-year-olds need companionship and healthy controlled activity of mind and body'; (c) hundreds of trained teachers have been thrown out of work, schools have been degraded and have suffered through the dispersal of teaching power. Capitation grants to the committees have been reduced to an impossible minimum. In the ease of district high schools, the grant has been reduced from 7/0 per capita to 2/6. Handiwork grants—chalk, plasticine, raffia, crayons, colour, brushes, paper, scissors, cutting knives, boards, etc., have all been cancelled. Science apparatus, seeds, manures, etc., for Nature study are no longer supplied. The salaries of the teachers have been practically cut in half. Two 10 per cent cuts, 5 per cent wages tax, 15 per cent exchange mean that much less purchasing power. Sales tax added to cost of goods bought, brings the total reduction approximately 45 per cent. That Mr. Ransom is able to make such statements and get away with them is due entirely to the splendidly loyal and courageous attitude that the' teaching profession has maintained towards their work in spite of an apathetic public and a merciless Government. Who has come to the assistance of struggling committees and seen that the children did not suffer from lack of education facilities? —the teachers. The Minister states that the New Zealand system is second to none in the Empire. This is very debatable. Docs he know what the British Government is doing for its children ? In how many schools in England are five-year-olds debarred? In how many are all handiwork, art, and agriculture requisites entirely-withdrawn? In how many are children cold and' hungry? In how many are there classes or CO or more? By liow much were the Englisn teachers' salaries reduced? That the high standard cflicicncy in our schools remains little impaired is due to the intense lovo and devotion that the teachers and inspectors have for their work. At the present time tho teaching profession is almost on tlio bread line, and how long it will retain its enthusiasm and continue to do tlio extra work entailed by tho Government's economy in education is a matter of conjecture. INTERESTED.