CAPITATION AGAIN

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 118, 21 May 1930, Page 6

CAPITATION AGAIN

FEDERATION'S VIEWS

Tho Wellington Federation of Educational Associations, in common with other bodies scholastic, has something to say about capitation grants to school committees, the- following being taken from its first annual report:

"This matter must be continued with until the Government can be brought to understand that the demand for additional allowances is.not merely an idle request of the committees. Large sums of money have been expended by the Government on higher education, and it is time a little mpre attention was paid to the requirements of the primary section of our educational system. What is tho uso of creating palatial structures for secondary schools when tho future users of those have been handicapped in their educational progress by unsatisfactory conditions in the primary schools? That this condition of affairs has been allowed to continue is another reason why such an organisation as the federation is necessary to create united interests in these matters.

•. \; .' Th^ federation regrets that many school committees resigned prior to the last annual eleetiom It admits that in not a few localities their flnancial difficulties wero insuperable" and that it was grossly unjust to expect them, in addition to doing a large amount of gratuitous work, to accept the harassing responsibility of a deficit inevitable on account of their quite inadequate capitation. , It. hopes, 1 howover, that the experienced members of these committees will, through, the Home and School Association of their districts, koep in- aetivc touch with the schools. Their knowledge and experience is valuable;-their, support was -never more needed. These resigned committeemen are probably more koenly conscious, both of what is wrong and of tho true remedy tihaii committees still ablo financially to carry on, and it will bo a great Jos3 to the cause of primary education reform if individually and collectively they are lost to the movement. Though officially- not in being, the federation trusts that they will be unofficially moa'O in evidence than ever." ,