EDUCATION IN BRITAIN

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 97, 18 January 1921, Page 7

EDUCATION IN BRITAIN

RECORD OF RECENT PROGRESS MR. FISHER ON INCREASED COSTS In a recent address on educational pro’grass, Mr. IT. A. L. Fisher, British Minister of Education, said that the grim fact which appeared at the outset was the growing expense of education. He never thought that Britain spent enough upon fundamental social services before the war, and, accordingly, he held that the country should look with equanimity upon an increase in the cost of education over and above the limits which were drawn by pre-war practice. It was disconcerting to find how much these increases which had now to bo voted in support of a public system of education were due, not to any fresh educational development, but to the sheer necessitj’ of fighting an educational set-back. By far the largest part of Britain’s increased educational expenditure was attributable to the increase which local educational authorities had lieen compelled to make to teachers in elementary schools in order that they might be able to maintain their standard of life. Tho salary bill of British elementary schools had risen by more than <£21.000,000 since 1914, and the full financial effects of the minimum scale recommended by Lord Burnham’s Committee had not yet been reached. The Limits of Expenditure. He thought that expenditure had been necessary, because unless the British system of grants in aid to elementary schools had been made io relate more closely to local expenditure in 1917, local authorities would have been unable to keep tho elementary schools going. Britain had been able to retain her teachers and recruit the teaching profession, and ho noticed with pleasure that recruits were coming forward much more abundantly in Lancashire than had been the case for many years past. At the same time they had to face the fact that even with their largely increased salaries many teachers asserted wit hsome vehement truth that they were really no better oft than before the war—an assertion not easily refuted while prices remained as they now were. There were three important considerations to bear in mind—namely, that prices would sooner or later go down, while salaries would remain last; that teachers might now expect adequate superannuation allowances; and that it was now a widely-accepted principle that tho service of the teacher should count for increment wherever it might have been rendered, so t’hat a teacher nng now be transferred from the service of one authority to another without loss of pay or prospects. That was a large step forward towards the. establishment of the national system. „ In present circumstances. Mr bisher pointed out. the Government and Parliament were obliged to look closely at the way in which votes of money were going. It would be impossible for the country to emerge from its present financial difficulties, and for prices to go down, until it became- a generally accepted axiom that everyone should be prepared to receive very much less than, he thought he could rightfully claim. That spirit must be spread throughout the country, and the teachers must take their share in spreading it- Their chairman had expressed the hope that tho Act of 1918 would not be dropped. The Government would proceed with the Act, bud they would have to take into account the financial difficulties with which local authorities were necessarily confronted, especially at this juncture, and be contbnt with a progress, perhaps, in the long run, no less satisfactory, because it would he accomplished at an easier and more deliberate pace. Tho authorities would have to do what they could and as they could. They had a groan scheme io work up "to, and it could not be expected that they should work up to it at once. • The End of Half-Time. Speaking upon the question of halftime, Mr'. Fisher said he did not ibink I’hat system would be encouraged. It would,' he hoped, die an unlamented death, and its disappearance would clear the wav for many developments. Tho ■continuation school system really dependeel for its development upon t'he abolition of half-time. The Government did not want to supply tho country with a shoddy form. of education. They wanted the country to feel iffiat the now echeme of adolescent education had in it a powerful and effective instrument for the social progress and social welfare. As the continuation school system became developed they hop.ed to find 'lie day school linked to the various voluntary agencies which had been trained to promote the social welfare of young people. In Manchester they were already fortunate in having led the van in this grand work. lie bebevad tba’J what was being done in the direction of public education was well worth doing, end that it would justify the country in going farther along the same way.