EDUCATION COST

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 144, 14 March 1931, Page 9

EDUCATION COST

Economy Proposals EFFECT ON PUPILS Teachers’ Contentions The executive of the New Zealand ' Educational Institute yesterday gave consideration to the Prime Minister’s statement concerning the cost of education, and to the leading article published in “The Dominion” on March 10. After discussion, it was decided that the article referred to called for the following comment In reply:— “Before referring to particular passages in the article, the executive would emphasise the fact that the depression which is being used as the occasion for proposing a curtailment of educational opportunities for the people is merely a passing phase, but the effects of the loss of educational opportunity are a life-long injury to those affected. Apart altogether from a reduction in the salaries of teachers, which does not enter into the present discussion, and in any case may itself be only a passing phase, to permanently reduce the scope of education by such mteasures as the cutting down of bursaries and restricting free places is to inflict life-long injury on those now in the schools. For the rest of their lives they will have to bear the burdens which the short-sighted unwisdom of to-day would at once impose upon them and impair their power to bear. Nothing could be more unreasonable and unjust than to impose on the children now in the schools a lifelong penalty because of a present stringency, and no balancing of Budgets can call for or justify such a policy. “Too Heavy a Burden.” “The leading article quotes the Prime Minister as saying that the cost of education is ‘too heavy a burden on taxation under present economic conditions.’ Does anyone really think that New Zealand, one of the richest countries in the world, cannot afford _to give Its young people the education which is their due? Already the shortening of staffs is having the effect of injuring the prospects of thousands of children in the schools. Is New Zealand so poor that its rulers are willing to cast its burdens on the little children? Is Return Adequate? “The writer of the article, admitting that the result of education is not easily measured, repeats the question as to whe ther the country is getting an - ■ return. Though the result of education cannot be measured it can be very easily , seen. It has produced in New Zealand a citizenry honourable, upright, and abiding, enterprising and self-reliant at home and respected throughout the world. “Long before New Zealand began to export frozen meat and dairy, produce it to export brains, and it has eon* tinned to send its scholars and its.trained men abroad. Through its education system New Zealand provided the world with a Rutherford, a Salmond a McLaurin, and a Condliffe, and with scores, even hundreds, of others only less brilliant than those. It is one of the visible, but not quite measurable, results of education that the people of New Zealand are facing their present difficulties in tl\e sober, deliberate fashion that is bringing additional credit to their already high reputation. What is wanted is not less education, but metre, so that more of the same kind of fruit may be gathered. Possibilities of Economy. ' “The article hints that economy might be practised in the direction of secondary and higher education —‘whether the mesh should' not be more finely drawn.’ That way lies not economy, but the'worst kind of waste, the waste of good human powers because we have not found a way to make use of them. It is not that the £23 pupil has not the capacity to make use of his opportunity, but that he Jins not. been, given his opportunity in the right kind ot school. That is not the fault of the pupil, but of the system that refuses to recognise the facts of the case. Pupils are being spoiled, nnd their brains are being wasted because the powers that rule in the educational world will not join forces and work together but prefer to hamper the progress of education by maintaining their own selfish and unreasoning isolation. “It is clear that no substantial, saving can be made without making serious inroads on the educational rights of the people. The first blow, if any blow is struck, is sure to fall on the country child. The relatively high cost of education in New Zealand is due to the generous provision made for the education of country children. A fully-equipped school, often with a teacher’s residence, is provided for every group of 9 to 20 children.-and this group is taught by a fully-qualified, trained certificated teacher. Are the children in the country .districts to be deprived of this service, with all that it implies for them in the way of preparation for life? Teachers’ Salaries. .. "The proposed reduction in teachers’ salaries forms part of another controversy, and is not touched on here further than to point out that New Zealand teachers, with the exception of some parts of Cflnada and Australia, are already the worst paid in the British Empire, aiyl with the probable exception of those in Scotland, they are the most highly qualified. Thanks to the Training College policy of recent years, the uncertificated teacher has almost disappeared, and very soon this country will be able to sny that it has no unqualified teachers in its schools. “There are directions in which valuable economies might lie made. In every town there are separate governing ’ authorities for nvimary, secondary and technical education. which are at' once unable, from (he nature of their constitution, and unwilling from the influence, of n bad tradition. Io do the work required of them. They should be combined into a single effective controlling authority in each area. Many thousands of pounds could be saved, and much more valuable work could be done by this measure. “The national scholarship-examination should be abolished. It serves no useful purpose, and the money spent on the examination should be saved, while that spent on scholarships would be much more usefully employed in providing bursaries for country children.

“Another opportunity for useful economy. both educational and financial, is to be found in the consolidation of small country schools. Roads and transport are improving, and much can be gained by bringing the pupils from small, expensive. inefficient schools to centrally situated larger schools, with more efficient staff and educational opportunities in cverv way superior. “Tli«se methods by which savings can be made anil efficiency increased are pointed out as pertaining, to the present discussion. There are. however, minor matters in comparison with th? great question: ‘Shull the children be made, to hoar a life-long burden because of passing financial gtringeney.?”'