Funding cuts hit Canty schools

Press, 19 April 1982, Page 6

Funding cuts hit Canty schools

Inadequate funding meant that? the Canterbury Education Board could not buy any new' equipment for its schools: last year, according to the board’s annual report. The board said that inadequate funding had also delayed major building work at seven schools and had restricted minor capital works and maintenance at schools. Funds allocated by the Education Department for buying improved- equipment at schools had had to be spent-on repairing and replicihg existing equipment. A reduction of $30,000 in the grant for equipment and an overran of, spending from previous years had stunted' progress: towards achieving equipment' standards recommended by tjie department. Whether schools received any new equipment, this year

depended on whether the department increased the grant. A limit placed on the board’s building programme meant that work on improvements to seven schools had had to be deferred and building delays caused by a lapk of finance meant that two Christchurch intermediate schools had waited 10 years to have their administration buildings remodelled. The board hoped that a; survey of its schools’ needs by the department would lead to "a realistic review of the level of the maintenance grant.” Ah opening credit balance of *14,500 in the board's' maintenance account had been reduced to a debit of almost $lOO,OOO in spite of rigid control of spending. Even so, the board had not

been able to ■do all of its maintenance work. Minor capital works had suffered because of -.the necessity to channel available finance to more urgent work in the last two years. This was creating a backlog in work which would be. very difficult to clear. The board’s chairman, Mr D.. L. Waghom, said last evening that the board’s financial problems had been caused by inflation, government cuts in education spending, and over-runs of spending from previous years. Over all, the board had. balanced its books “fairly well” last year, but he foresaw “extreme problems” in coping with the maintenance grant and funds allocated for basic equipment and general administration.