FOUR CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 166, 9 April 1938, Page 8

FOUR CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS

Proposal Not Favoured

The view that the establishment of four correspondence schools in place of one would lead to both a considerable increase in the average cost a pupil per annum, and to a definite decrease iii the efficiency of the service rendered to remote and disabled children was expressed by the headmaster of the Education Department’s correspondence school, Dr. A. G. Butchers, in evidence tendered to the Education Committee of the House of Representatives yesterday. Witnesses earlier in the week had suggested the establishment of correspondence schools in the four main centres in preference to the one school operating from Wellington. “The provision of education by correspondence is a Dominion-wide and in no sense a local service,” Dr. Butchers said. “Wellington’s central position serves all parts of both islands as quickly and efficiently as a school situated in one of the four main cities could reach the outlying parts of its own and neighbouring districts. There are, every night, mail services from Wellington to Auckland, Christchurch and Nelson supplemented by daily air mail services to Auckland, Gisborne, Blenheim, Nelson, Dunedin and a triweekly service -to the West Coast of the South Island as far' 'south as Weheka. There would be no saving in postages for the. shorter distances and in the vast majority of eases no saving in point of time.”

Dr. Butchers referred also to the quadruplication -of buildings, equipment, staffs and libraries which would be required if four schools were established. “In none of the Australian States, so far as I am aware, or in any other country, is there more than one Government correspondence school.” Dr. Butchers added. ‘Tor example, the New South Wales Education Department’s school is located in Sydney and had a roll last year of 5690 pupils. The Queensland correspondence school, located in Brisbane, is almost as large. From the reports which I have received from overseas visitors who have inspected both these schools and our own, I have reason to believe that the New Zealand Education Department’s correspondence school will bear comparison with that of any other State in regard both to efficiency and to economy of operation.” '