SPENDING ON EDUCATION

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32540, 25 February 1971, Page 12

SPENDING ON EDUCATION

Art teachers criticise cuts

New Zealand, as a young, developing country, could not afford education expenditure cuts if it were to reach the standard of educational opportunities available to children in other countries, the chairman of the Christchurch Art Teachers’ Association (Miss P. Jones) said in a statement yesterday. The association’s executive deplored the Government’s announced cuts in spending on education.

“Teachers in our schools are already expected to find sources of free materials from business houses to supplement the minimum supplied to schools,” the statement said. “In art education the materials supplied to primary and intermediate schools are already inadequate in quantity and variety for teachers to be able to teach in the way which will most benefit children. In many secondary schools parents are already subsidising up to 50 per cent of the art materials used.

“School buildings and facilities are built to minimum requirements now, and if these facilities are further reduced it will be impossible for teachers to maintain the standard and quality of learning. The Art Teachers’ Association views with the gravest concern these measures of expediency which will affect the quality of education for years to come.”