EDUCATION BOARD ELECTIONS

Press, Volume XCIII, Issue 27992, 12 June 1956, Page 14

EDUCATION BOARD ELECTIONS

POSSIBILITY OF NEW CANDIDATES RICCARTON PARENTS CALL MEETING Because of “some dissatisfaction with the performance of the present Canterbury Education Board.” a* public meeting of parent-teacher associations and any school committees which may wish to attend will be held in the Y.M.C.A. tomorrow evening. It is expected that the groups interested will nominate new candidates for the forthcoming board elections. The Riccarton School Parent-Teach-er Association, supported by others in the area which were recently successful in getting priority restored for a Riccarton high school in preference to the projected Burnside high school, is sponsoring the meeting. The deputation which waited on the Christchurch Post-primary Schools’ Council was unreservedly congratulated on the facts it had marshalled.

We may be doing the Education Board an injustice, but if we can’t get action we will at least get information,” said a spokesman for the sponsors last evening. “We believe there has been some dilatoriness about new buildings in particular, about maintenance, and about general facilities such as lighting. We know that excuses about costs are chronic, but we want a full examination of building schedules.”

The spokesman said he knew of some private schools which were °y.y dm S fine new classrooms for a little more than £3OOO. A comparable I<?7r.^a 1 < ?7r.^ as x c , ostine the Education Board £4200. Why? he asked. On the usual block of four classrooms, the allegedly excess cost would amount to £4OOO which would go a long way toward meeting the arrears of maintenance at sny school.

Lack of Interest

i sponsors were well aware of the lack of interest in biennial householders meetings to elect school committees, the spokesman said. They also knew that at last week’s annual meeting of the Canterbury School Committees Association there was some objection to parent-teacher associations in some cases usurping the functions of committees. But the parents’ body perhaps, represented the keenest interest m the school. If they took a less passive part in school affairs, interest m the whole of school administration would be enlivened. The sponsors think that some longstanding members of the board mav have got out of touch with present opinion, and that comnetition in the elections would be healthy. They think the combined Christchurch ward setup may be responsible, and they are likely to encourage the idea of one member for each district group of schools. “At present there seems to be an idea that any committee going to a board member is going behind the bark of the board.” the spokesman said.

A meeting of about 60 is expected tomorrow evening. Nominations for the Education Roard will close on June 27. and elections wil] be held on July 18. There win be two scats vacant in the Christchurch combined ward, and one each m west combined, south combined southern central combined, northern central combined, and north combined