More education cuts forecast

Press, 30 June 1982, Page 10

More education cuts forecast

Big fee increases at the University of Canterbury and at Christchurch Polytechnic and a tax on books are among likely Government education cuts still to come, according to the Canterbury Collective for Community Learning.

The collective, a recently formed lobby group of 25 people working in adult education in Christchurch, met at Pudding Hill recently to discuss the cuts already announced, and to consider those likely. “All of those attending knew of cuts affecting them, and the pooling of information forced us to recognise the devastating extent of the cuts and their long-term effects, especially on the less privileged members of society," said Mrs Katherine Peet. The collective's first effort was to send a telegram to the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) claiming that the Government was proposing to abolish -the National Council of Community Education; withdraw funds from the Workers' Education Association; close Hagley High School; and in-

troduce a user-pays system for community classes in polytechnics and high schools. Since then, the N.C.C.E. has had its funds substantially cut; the Government has withdrawn its $140,000 annual grant from the W.E.A.: the future of Hagley High School has come under threat; and a user-pays policy in adult education is emerging. Mrs Peet said that the likely cuts affecting adult education were: @ A 300 per cent increase of fees for vocational classes and a 900 per cent increase of fees for non-vocational classes at polytechnics. ® Fee increases at universities. ® A tax on books, which would also affect educational libraries. © Secondary school night classes. @ Correspondence School. @ Family Planning Association education programme. © Nelson Community Education Service. © The School,, Publications Service, especially Maori and Social studies publications. © Changes to the Govern-

ment-funded Project Employment Programme, affecting research projects and action programmes in educational institutes. Adult educators realised that they had to take their share of Government costcutting. "But we are deeply concerned that adult education is being asked to take almost the whole bulk of the 3 per cent cuts required of the Education Department." said Mrs Peet. The announced cuts were only a tiny proportion of the $45 million that comprised 3 per cent of the education budget, she said. "This user-pays policy in adult education hits those ( with the greatest need the hardest. For those who cannot afford to pay, the cuts will not be 3 per cent, they will be 100 per cent," she said. , ", . "A lot of people will not be able to. afford to use it, they will lose their second-chance education,” she said. Anyone who countered the cuts by saying that all countries were suffering costcutting measures should know that New Zealand al-

ready spent less per capita on education than Australia. Britain. France or Germany, said Mrs Peet.