Education Board Attacks Reduced Building Grants

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32352, 18 July 1970, Page 10

Education Board Attacks Reduced Building Grants

In an attack on Government cut-backs in educational spending the Canterbury Education Board was told yesterday that unless there was a change in Government policy immediately the board’s building and main* tenance programme “could be at a standstill within a matter of weeks.”

The chairman of the board (Mr A. S. Murray) said that of the 108 projects on the programme it appeared that 62 “and possibly more” would have to be deleted if some increase in funds was not granted. The board, he said, required a minimum of $1,692,000 for its programme but the’ Minister of Educa tion (Mr Taiboys) had advised that the Government could only allocate $1,268,000. Money already committed on new works would leave the board with only $265,000 to spend on new projects. •The anticipated expend! fare is already $297,000 on works approved before April 1. H. “It can he readily seen," Mr Murray said, “that the board is in an impossible position which halt *, been created by the inability l of the Government to make available sufficient finance even to keep pace with the provision of new classrooms to meet growing rolls." Prefabricated Rooms This would mean that many schools would have to make do with pre-fabricated class rooms. “This is irreconcilable with the Government’s announced intention that pre-fabricated classrooms are to be phased out as soon as possible.” Already in the board’s area there were 300 such class rooms housing more than 10,000 children. “And now it appears that we have no alternative but to add to that number,” M> Murray said. Advice had also been received from the Minister of Education that a ceiling limit was being imposed on the total cost of grants approved this year, irrespective of actual expenditure.

“Unless the Government has a change of heart immediately the board’s programme could be at a standstill with In a matter of weeks,” Mr Murray said. Class Sizes The Government plan to reduce class sizes to 35 which was to have been intro duced in 1972, was likely to be affected by the cut-back Mr Murray said. “The whole of the class rooms for the first priority group have had to ,be deleted from our programme," he said. Mr Murray , pointed out that a deputation from the Edu cation Boards’ Association had met the Minister of Education who had been unable to persuade the Government, to provide additional funds. “We now have no alternaGve but to make the facts public and to ask the Educa tion Boards* Association to make an approach at a highei level.” Government Blamed .During a 45-minute discussion which followed Mr Murray’s comments, board members emphasised that their criticisms were sot. .directed at the Department of Education, for in the words of Mr A. Manning, chairman of the board’s building committee, “it is the Government that is to blame. It is this group who paraded up and down the country before the last election with a manifesto promts ing top priority for education. What has happened now —and how about their 1:35 class schedule. I am sure the Educational Institute will be up in arms over that “This is a terrible situation in a country that is supposed to be in a good sound financial position,” he said. Mr E. F. Wilde: The Gov-

ernment just does not honour what they say. We can’t blame Mr Taiboys. It’s the man who holds the purse strings, Mr Muldoon.

Acceptance in good faith by the community of the Government promises for educational priority had “just not been borne out,” Mr S. W. Gower said. “Why have education boards been kept so misinformed on these matters by the Government and have to wait until this ‘bombshell’ is dropped on their plate," he said. A suggestion by Mr D. L. Waghorn that schools might have to limit pupil entry to six-year-olds was greeted with calls of “too right” from many board members. ' “I can’t see any daylight ahead of us with these restrictions unless something like this is considered," he said. .. - “From the end of August thia year our architects will be sitting at their desks doing cross-words.” Projects Affected Projects which may have to be deleted by the Education Board due because of financial restrictions are:— New schools: Withells Road

Intermediate, Isleworth Intermediate, Greymouth Intermediate, Kaikoura and Cholmondeley Home. Residences: Kaiapoi Borough, Waimate Main, Makikihi and Paroa. Assembly halls: Quinns Road, Hokitika, Ham, Woolston and Burwood. Classrooms: Hawarden District High School (2), Ashgrove (4>, Halswell (4), Kaiapoi North (4), Tinwald (2), Waimataitai (2), Highfield (2), Isleworth (2), Avondale (2), Wainoni (2), Hoon Hay (2), Paroa (1), Leeston (1), Mount Somers (2), Orari (3), Morven (2), Esk Valley (1), Te Moana (1), Waikuku (2), Hornby (4), Sumner (2), Springbank (1), Rangiora (Manual Training Centre!; Freeville (1), Somerfield (2), Geraldine (1), Oxford District High School (1), Waimate Centennial (2), Heathcote Valley (1), South New Brighton (2), Dunsandel (2), Claremont (1), Loburn (1), Rakaia (2), Hinds (1), Redcliffs (I); Scargill (1), Springburu (1), Greenpark (1), Le Bons Bay (1).