Independent Schools Seek Capitation

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32233, 27 February 1970, Page 22

Independent Schools Seek Capitation

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, February 26. Independent schools want the Government to give them this year a capitation grant ol 20 per cent of the average daily cost to the State of each State-school day-pupil. This is one df four requests for assistance by the independent schools to the Government.

The proposals were presented in submissions by the interdenominational committee of independent schools to the joint Cabinet - Caucus committee, chaired by 1 the Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys), considering the question of State aid. The submissions were released today. The other three proposals by the committee are:— That capitation grants be increased over a period of five years until they reach 50 per cent of the average daily cost in State schools. That such capitation grants be unconditional and that they be used by the administering authorities of in-i dependent schools in accordance with each school’s needs. That the loans scheme already ' introduced by the Gov-i, eminent be continued. Referring to its 20 per cent : capitation request, the committee stated it would represent about $42 per child inji secondary independent i schools, and $23 per child in I primary schools. ' Based on the latest total

> roll figures of 83.000. the pro posal would amount to an ex tra grant of $1,300,000. Daily Cost The effect of the proposal said the committee, would bt that eventually the school! and the Government would share equally the daily cost oi teaching the secular subjects which the child by law must receive and which the schools must teach to satisfactory standards. Also, under the proposal independent schools parents

o- and supporters would con-[ x-itinue to meet all capital costs of their schools. “This proposal, the commit- ■ tee submits, achieves an ac‘p ceptable degree of equity and i is a fair division of the relej f vant costs.” .jj If the 83.000 children were , ”;to attend State schools the .. I additional cost, based on lati’ i est figures available, would be '*'sl2,ooo,ooo a year. Present Grant i- “The present grant to interdependent schools totals ! $1,100,000, so that the net] savings to the State are at present approximately' : $11,000,000.” The committee said that if no further aid were granted, j the net annual saving to the ■ s 'State in 1975 would be about ®: $18,200,000. and in 1980 c : about $24,800,000. S L “This saving to the State ’’would continue to increase in future years and the burden is upon independent schools would become intolerable." n Referring to the loans scheme, the committee said ' it had been of benefit to a number of schools. The sav-| flings to the State in capital: °I cost of land, buildings and p facilities could not be accur j e ately assessed, but capital invested in independent schools j was estimated at S2OO million, e Unconditional Grant e Asking that the grant bei e unconditional, the committee 1 said the independent school' j authorities were competent to administer any grant in the < I best interests of each school “Their knowledge of each : school, and their desire to I provide the best education I possible in accordance with - the foundation purposes of , the schools will qualify them ■ to deal with the money granted by Government ” It had been claimed that if! further assistance were granted, greater control of independent schools should follow “This committee sees no| justification or need for Govk- ernment to interfere in or ex-| tend its control of the inde:s pendent schools so long as >r they continue to meet the re-' x- quirements of the law and de-! Ir partmental regulations as they are obliged to now.”