NEW HIGH SCHOOLS

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31659, 20 April 1968, Page 14

NEW HIGH SCHOOLS

Board Members Disappointed Two committee chairmen and several other members of the Canterbury Education Board do not believe that the economic situation is the rec son for the Government’s restraint on the creation of form 1 to 6 high schools and area high schools. "1 am extremely disappointed with the announcement that there will be onlythree form 1 to 6 high schools! in the whole country, onlyone of them in the South Is-j land and none in this board's: | area,” said Mr D. L. Wag-1 horn, chairman of the finance i committee at a board meeting yesterday. Mr Waghorn said the Canterbury Education Board had submitted a list of schools for translation to the new types and an order of priority. None had been accepted. At least two demanded urgent attention. “We should demand a clear! statement on how far the Government intends to go,” said Mr Waghom. “I can’t believe that financial strain is I the main reason for lack of) action. “It seems that someone high up in the Education Department has changed his mind. If so, we should be told.” Mr Waghorn moved that the board express its disappointment and ask whether there had been a “change, of heart.” Mr E. S. Ayers (Ashburton) supported all this. He said Methven was a good case in point. Little finance would be involved in translating the district high school into a form 1 to 6 high school. There was already a secondary roll near 200. A lot of public protest had arisen from the Education Department’s recent inaction. Mr A. Manning (Timaru) chairman of the building committee, said there was a district high school in his area l where no more buildings) would be required for a ) change. Other districts were; suitable for area high schools , He also did not believe finance was the main reason for the Government’s present attitude.