Teacher centre gets Govt funds

Press, 27 May 1985, Page 9

Teacher centre gets Govt funds

Christchurch Polytechnic will receive Government funding for its teacher resource centre. 10 years after its establishment.’ The member of Parliament for Christchurch Central. Mr Palmer, has announced that the resource centre will be funded by the Government, along with three others — at the Auckland and Waikato technical institutes, and at Wellington Polytechnic. The Government had allocated $415,000 for capital works and equipment for the four centres. and $200,000 for salaries of tutorial staff, ancillaries and

running costs. The director of Christchurch Polytechnic. Mr John Hercus. said last evening that the Government had "recognised the fact that we pioneered the whole development 10 years ago." The teacher resource centre was in the new $1.5 million Jean Herbison Resource Centre, which opened in March last year. The tutor training had been established long before that.

Courses were run for tutors. teaching equipment was available for them, and technical staff prepared teaching materials for them.

Mr Hercus said, however, that the announcement was "marvellous" news. Until now. tutor training "had been paid for out of our own pockets." said Mr Hercus. "What we will be able to do with the new Government funds is extend it and make it bigger, better, and brighter and more relevant." he said. "It has long been the policy of the council and tutors that the resource centre be a priority for the Government," he said. No details on the funds had yet been received, he said. ’