Amendments to bill criticised

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33966, 6 October 1975, Page 7

Amendments to bill criticised

Amendments to the Private Schools Conidi tional Integration Bill (has allowed a strong; I element of exclusiveness to be permitted, said the president-elect of the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association (Mr G. Warner). Mr Warner, the association’s chief spokesman on proposals to integrate private schools with the State sector of education, said that

■ many of the amendments i suggested by the Education I Select Committee, which had (been meeting over the last five weeks, were a cause of major concern to the P.P.T.A. “These amendments will certainly suit the Roman Catholic schools, but we regard them as making too many sweeping changes in the original bill in favour of the proprietors of the schools,” Mr Warner said. The amendments would" inow allow proprietors of private schools which opted to integrate with the State to charge dues. Pupils could be expelled from these schools if dues were not paid and the parents could be taken Ito court. “This is not integration—and the changes are quite obnoxious and surprising for a Labour Government,” Mr Warner said. Other amendments allowed preferential enrolment, but such steps were in complete contrast to P.P.T.A. policy on the subject, which sought open entry to every integrated school. It was obvious that every endeavour would be made- to have the Private Schools’ Integration Bill put through all its stages before the Parliamentary session ended. Mr Warner said. “We certainly want to see it passed, as it is a historic step forward—but many of the amendments will have to be changed again,” he said.

Africans angered Groups of Africans — about 1000 in all — stoned at least 15 buses and wrecked a municipal transport office in Newcastle, South Africa in a protest against a near-doubling of bus fares. Dozens of passengers were injured. — Newcastle.