Higher Education Costs Forecast

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30708, 25 March 1965, Page 14

Higher Education Costs Forecast

Keeping track of how the £60.9 million education vote and the £3.5 million works and training grant for university capital works and technical institute equipment is spent each year has been the task of Mr L. M. Graham, Assistant Director of Education (administration), who made a farewell visit to Christchurch yesterday. He will retire at the end of the month. Mr Graham said he was certain of one thing for the future. These costs would go much, much higher. Primary and secondary education would continue to expand with the growth of population and continue to improve because of better facilities, he said, and university development had “scarcely started.” In the last year primary and secondary educational building cost £9.3 million, the University Grants Committee approved huge building programmes, and a five-year plan for technical institutes was begun, Mr Graham said. Among the Education Department’s measures to assist in his time in office was the creation of the Wellington and Christchurch regional offices. This, he said, had accelerated building approvals and removed criticism on this count. Asked about a long-term plan to bring educational administration under one roof in Christchurch, Mr Graham said there were still hopes that an “education house” for the department, Secondary

Schools’ Council, Education Board and some others would be erected on the old St. Margaret’s College site in Cranmer square, now occupied by the regional office. Economic Purchasing

Standing committees on administration have developed under Mr Graham to improve management, prepare, better building techniques, and find the most economical means

of purchasing. Another of his responsibilities is school transport which, last year, cost £2 million. Electronic data processing equipment was introduced by the department to allow fortnightly pay for teachers and provide much other information.

“There are 33,000 people employed full-time in education in New Zealand from kindergarten to university, and to serve them the department has an administrative staff of 600,” said Mr Graham. “Our duty is to see that the taxpayers get good value.” Prototype High School

The two developments which Mr Graham regrets not seeing realised before he retires are the new prototype high school and the teachers’ College works committee.

The prototype high school, planned for Porirua East, is virtually two schools of 600 each on the same site, under associate principals but directed by a general principal. The twin units would each serve forms 111 to V. Sixth forms would combine In the central block with advanced laboratories and other special facilities. The twin schools would have halls, but the rolls of both could come together in a sealed, roofed area which could serve for either assemblies or sports. Flans are not yet complete. The Teachers’ College works committee will hold its first meeting next Monday. Its aim is to see that colleges get the “plant” to train more and more teachers.