Bursaries ’grossly inadequate’

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33750, 24 January 1975, Page 16

Bursaries ’grossly inadequate’

More than- SOO full-] time students at ?tW country’s . technical; institutes would facer serious ’financial problems this year unless, the 1 Government increased bursaries, said the’ secretary of the Christchurch Technical Institute Students’ Association (Mr G, A.,Alodre) i Mi\ MooreZ ’who. is' also a. I member- of the- technical insti-: I tute students’ nations I executive, . said that htahy ftillitime students riving at home thad to exist oh a bursary payiments of $BO a year. ’ Students living away from home were eligible for a $350 (boarding bursary hilt this was' totally' inadequate to J cope .with rising_ costs, of ae-

icomniodatton over a 43-week Jdcademic year, he said. I-uli-ttnle students had been; 'unable to supplement their’ ifinances tfiig because of i itfie shortage <>f . well-paid va-j cation employnteht. Z Many- technical institute! .students would be forced toi seek regular part-time employment this year, even; though they .must spend- 35( hours a week in full-time! study., j ; Mr Moorevsaid that one of the most glaring anomalies ! in the present tertiary bursary scheme was the difference between financial assistance to ’bonded ■ primary teacher trainees and nursing ; trainees in technical instn tutes. i Nursing trainees who aci cepted a Health Department ; bursary were also bonded for i two years,-but. in their third; • year of training, in a techni-

cal institute they received; ,pnlv $965. compared, with :$3370 for the third year of 'primary teacher training. “This inequality must bei removed, especially when! ■both groups of students acIcept the bonding provisions,”iMr Moore said. ' The Technical Institute! ; Students’ Association hadj (been told by the Minister of; J Education (Mr Amos) oni January 15 that the Govern-; ‘ ment was unable to approve; ; increases in technical insti-l - tute bursaries, Mr' Moore i ■ said. ; “How can Mr Amos hon-* r estly equate this with the; ; avowed intention of the Gov-i ■ ernment to encourage the: growth of technical educa-' •ition? . j tj “New - Zealand industry de-1 ripends on technical institutes; I!to provide it with -essential; -i technicians. This supply must|

continue if.industry is to expand. One way for industry to decline and eventually collapse is to refuse to subsidise tomorrow’s technicians today.” said Mr Moore. In a joint statement in support.of claims for higher bursarigs, thtr director of the Christchurch Technical Institute (Mr J. D. A. Hercus) and the chairman of the Christchurch Technical Institute (Council' (Mr A. S.. Farrar/ jsaid that present bursaries) iwere “grossly inadequate.” “Some students in the last; iybar have told us that they! [would rather register as un-! (employed this year and do (part-time technical institute istudj', than contemplate fullitime study under the present (inadequate bursaries,” -Mr [Hercus said. ' The Christchurch Technical [lnstitute Council had already (asked the students’ associa[tion to set up a special fund

ito help students who were likely to be in financial diffi-j i cutties this. year. , If increases in bursariesj were not granted serious! harm could be done to the; cause of technical education; in New Zealand, said Mr! Hercus. I