GEAR FOR SCHOOLS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30442, 16 May 1964, Page 19

GEAR FOR SCHOOLS

Scheme Puzzles Association The revised basic-equip-ment scheme for primary schools is puzzling the Canterbury School Committees’ Association. About two years ago committees received the new list and were invited to nominate priorities for additional items. Most did, but they were informed that duplicators were “the issue” for last year. This situation was reported to the association by the Westburn School Committee, which asked the association to findout : the total grant to the Canterbury Education Board for this scheme, how it was being managed, who decided that duplicators would be the item to be issued and what would happen about the issue of schools’ remaining entitlement. The association’s secretary (Mr R. W. Taylor) said he had inquired verbally from the Education Board and was told the amount of its grant was not for publication, but the national figure was about £lOO,OOO. A committee had studied school needs and decided that duplicators would be most useful to most schools. If some had them already, they would not receive substitute items on the list this year. New schools, said Mr Taylor, were entitled to the full new list of basic equipment. It was expected that all schools would be equipped to the new standards over six years. “This is public money, and I don’t see why the board won’t reveal its grant,” said Mrs M. Rae. Further, most schools would want their nominated preference rather than block items decided by a committee. Mrs Rae’s motion that the board be asked to clarify the scheme was carried.