PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES

Press, Volume C, Issue 29635, 4 October 1961, Page 2

PRE-SCHOOL SERVICES

I Overlapping “Wasteful” Concern about the “wasteful overlapping" of preschool services was expressed by the Director of Education (Mr A, E. Campbell) at the official opening of the New Zealand Free Kindergarten Union’s conference in Christchurch last evening. There were now two preschool movement* in New Zealand—kindergarten and play centre, he said. Wasteful overlapping of servicesthat had occurred in some small instances could occur on a much bigger scale in the future, he said. "I discussed this matter with the Federation of Nursery Play Centres last year and later I wrote to your president (Mrs H. Downer) about it," he said. •‘The problem bristles with difficulties and I do not intend to discuss them tonight. But I should like to emphasise the main point—that a way should be found for arranging some kind of regular formal consultation, on a district or regional basis, to ensure that each movement is fully advised of the longterm plans of the other, and that the future planning of both services is as closely related as possible to community needs and wishes,” he said.

Mr Campbell said he hoped that the union and its local associations would do aH they could to establish working arrangements.