Govt. To Finance Hostels At Training Colleges, Schools

Press, Volume CI, Issue 30007, 17 December 1962, Page 19

Govt. To Finance Hostels At Training Colleges, Schools

(New Zealand Preu Association)

WELLINGTON, Dec, 16. The Government would pay for new hostel accommodation at teachers’ traininc colleges, and would also finance extensions of boarding facilities at post-primary schools, said the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) on Saturday. The capital oast of trainee-teachers’ hostel acc mmodatton would be provided where there was a need for more than that provided under Government subsidy 'Financial considerations have restricted our efforts up to the present, but with increasing rolls at the colleges we cannot afford to postpone aotioo any longer,” Mr Tennent said.

The hostels would have to be of economic size and education boards would have to run them as economic units. Except ait the fully residential Ardmore College, most teachers’ college students had to find accommodation in private homes and boarding houses or in hostels run by the churches or other organasartioos. “The Government iti very

conscious of the fine work cone by these people for the students, and we will continue to encourage students to make use of the facilities offered in approved hostels and in private homes,” he said. ‘‘But it is clear that, in most centres, the available

board is inadequate to meet the increasing demand. “I know what a worry it is to country parents when they young people have difficulty in finding suitable board, and I agree with those who say that more hostel accommodation would be an important add to recruitment. “I know there is a positive relationship between good board and students’ progress in their studies.” Mr Tersnent said the Education Commission had recommended more adequate provision for hostel accom-

modation and the Government accepted its responsibility in this matter. Mr Terment said it had always been the Government's policy to give particular attention to the special education needs of country children. The extension of boarding establishments was a further step in carrying out this policy. The Government had decided to provide, under the annual education building programme, for five hostels over the next five years costing about £500.000. The Government could not hope to build all the hostels required art once, and this would allow for flexibility in programming the work. £l2OO • Bed The Government would finance the hostels by a maximum grant of £l2OO a bed. To qualify for this grant controlling boards would have to establish that they would be able to fill a hostel of 70 to 80 boarders and that art least two-thirds of them would qualify tor a boarding allowance. “The same policy will apply to existing hostels, where the hostels are not already of an economic size,” said Mr Tennenit. “Finance will be made available to extend these hostels to the limits I have mentioned. Any extensions to hostels to increase their size beyond the limits of 70 or 80 boarders will have to be financed by boards from their own resources or from interest-bearing loans raised by the board concerned. “I am very gratified to be able to announce this firm policy on a matter which has caused concern for many years. “The- Government’s desire is to ensure that there is equal educational opportunity available to all our younig people and, linked with the increased scale of boarding allowances it will be a boon to parents of children in rural areas.”