School Head Opposes State Aid

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32036, 10 July 1969, Page 18

School Head Opposes State Aid

Opposition to any increase in Government aid to independent schools was expressed at a meeting of the Mairehau High School board of governors yesterday.

The headmaster (Mr A. B. Ryan) said he was concerned at the stated intention of the Government to increase State aid to independent schools. He said that a great deal , had been said on the matter i but that the decision to increase the aid appeared to have been made for reasons I of expediency. He said that the whole mati ter should be evaluated in all I its aspects. 1 Most independent schools were associated with churches

and there should be some survey of why parents elected to send their children to independent schools. “There are a large number of parents who do not appear to be particularly interested in the practice of religion and who are not themselves active members in a religious community," said Mr Ryan. He said that there were no doubt some independent schools which found it difficult to keep open but others were very richly endowed. If independent schools were allowed to develop then State secondary education could become devalued in relation, as was the case in Australia, at least until recent years, said Mr Ryan. "A good case can be made out on the surface in terms

of natural justice for the taxpayer who favours the independent school system, but after all it is additional to and beyond the system which the State considers necessary,” said Mr Ryan. “I believe that the separation of a section of the community from the total in such a matter as education is dangerous to both groups.” He felt that as State schools were totally dependent on State finances and were working with considerable restriction, it was the first duty of the State to care for its own schools.

The chairman of the board (Mr C. T. Ford) said that parents who sent their children to independent schools did so for a variety of reasons such as dissatisfaction with the

curriculum, teaching methods and lack of boarding accommodation at State schools, as well as on social grounds. He said he felt that the State did not owe > anything to independent schools and he strongly opposed the Government providing State assistance to private schools. Mr D. Allison also expressed his opposition and said that State schools were not as free as sometimes thought and that parent-teacher organisations did a lot to provide extra equipment and facilities.

The board agreed to write to the Secondary School Boards' Association expressing concern at developments and supporting the association’s intention to evaluate the situation.