W.E.A. expects to raise course fees

Press, 29 June 1982, Page 6

W.E.A. expects to raise course fees

The Canterbury Workers' Education Association intends to ask the Government for dispensation to put up its course fees during the price freeze to compensate for the loss of its annual Government grant. If dispensation is not given, the association may have to put up its fees to survive. Mr Brian Pauling, director of the ' Canterbury W.E.A.. who will lose his job as a result of the cuts, said yesterday that the local council would meet on Friday to decide what action to lake to recoup its loss. "Obviously we will have to try to get dispensation from (he Government, or else we could put up the fees unilaterally and see what the Government does.” he said. The Canterbury W.E.A. at present charges from $2 to $lB for its 10-week. two-hour courses. The fee is set in relation to the course, and the association’s adult literacy course is free. Last year. 4103 Canterbury people enrolled in the W.E.A.'s 206 courses', which were run by about 300 tutors, jll of whom are paid a fee. Although some.' Mr Pauling S returned this fee to help funds. ’ As a result of the Government’s cuts, the local association loses its $14,444 annual grant and the $26,000 Salary paid to Mr Pauling ■through the Christchurch Polytechnic. Nationally, the association loses a total of $140,000. - Mr Pauling said that the loss of the Government grant would "seriously jeopardise" lhe association. I “The Government grant is just under 20 per cent of our budget, but it gives us the status and recognition we need in the community for other grants. It is the seeding thoney which enables us to

■ raise the rest of our funds." he said. "Of course we will survive. The W.E.A. has survived for 68 years and has seen harder times than this." he said. The Government had withdrawn its recognition only one other time, and that was in 1932. during the Depression. Mr Pauling said. Since the cuts were announced last week, the W.E.A. has received many messages of support, and several donations. "The telephones have been ringing hot at our offices with people telling us howangry they are about the cuts, and there have been lots of letters - to us. to members of Parliament and to the newspapers." he said. He gave one example of the Plunket Society in Christchurch, which had'sent him a copy of a letter to the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) saying how it could not do its work in the community effectively without the W'E.A. Donations of more than $lOOO had come in since the announcement, which was an indication of community support. Mr Pauling said. Mr John Hercus. the director of the Christchurch Polytechnic has also sent a letter to the Minister of Education criticising the W.E.A. cuts on behalf of senior management and staff of the institute. "Your action has forced us to conclude that the Government places little value on adult continuing education; categorises such education as non-vocational and therefore of negligible priority; tends to announce such decisions without consultation 'With those directly affetted; repudiates international policies to expand and promote life-long education; and lacks policy, and rationale in arriv-

ing at such decisions." the ■letter said. “We affirm the right and responsibility of any Government to make tough economic decisions on the basis of fact, consultation and consumer acceptance — all of these criteria appear to have been ignored tn this decision.” Mr Hercus said in the letter.

The Christchurch branch of the Association of Teachers in Technical Institutes expressed "unanimous opposition” to the W.E.A. cuts.

"The Government seems hell-bent on destroying the very basis of community education by picking off one area after another." said Mr A. Clayton, local branch president.

In discussions with Mr J. Gavigan. the national president of the A.T.T.1., Mr Wellington. had not raised the prospect of cuts to the W.E.A., he said.

"In fact. Mr Gavigan was given an assurance that, in implementing the 3 per cent cuts, no staff reductions would be affected." he said. The Federation of Labour and the Clerical Workers Union yesterday criticised the Government for its cuts in adult education, reports the Press Association.

The secretary of the F.0.L.. Mr K. G. Douglas, said that he was particularly annoyed that the $14,000grant for the W.E.A trade union postal education service had been removed.

"This service has provided basic correspondence courses for adults who do not have any formal education qualifications. The Minister is now destroying the only possible chance a significant group of New Zealanders have to catch up on their education.”