EDUCATION COSTS

Evening Star, Issue 19001, 24 July 1925, Page 11

EDUCATION COSTS

HUGE Bill EXPLAINED ANNUAL LIABILITY INCREASING [Dv Otm PARLIAMENTARY ReTORTER.] WELLINGTON, July 23. “ Unless our free education policy is modified and the privileges restricted or the salaries reduced this annual increasing cost, with its cumulative effect, must bo met from year to year,” states Sir James Parr, Minister of Education, in his annual report, which shows that tho total expenditure, including_endowment revenue, amounted to £11,723,000, an incrase of £373,000. It is shown that 83 per cent., or nearly two and a-half millions, was spont on salaries, and that the increasing population of tho schools accounts for an annual additional expenditure of £50,000. Last year’s increase is accounted for under the following heads:—(l) Increase of nearly £160,000 in expenditure on tho erection of new buildings, rendered necessary by tho curtailment of this work during tho war and subsequently, so that largo arrears of building at greatly-increased cost have had to he undertaken; (2) grant of £50,000 to increase tho salaries of teachers during the financial year; (3) extra expenditure of £22,000 on high school teachers’ salaries to provide teachers for the increased number of pupils now taking advantage of free education in district high, technical high, and secondary schools; (4) an additional cost, estimated at £37,000, providing teachers in the primary schools for the annual increase of the number of pupils and for the purpose of reducing the size of very large classes; (5) a much larger expenditure on education for tho first time in subsidies to the Institute for the Blind, £15,000: (7) the restoration of the grant of £3.000 for public libraries; (8) increased grants, amounting to about £6,000, to tho Workers’ Educational Association and universities; (9) increased grants of over £4,000 to school committees. ’The Minister adds that from the above it will he apparent, that, though a, keen eye bo kept on every increase in tho annual cost, vet it would he extremely difficult, it not impossible, to cut down tho department’s yearly expenditure without attacking and doing hurt to essential features and the main fabric of the whole system. EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENTS.

The report speaks confidently of tho results achieved in the new junior high schools. “ There is no need for experiment regarding the value of the junior high school principle itself. That stage bus passed. The testimony of other countries as well as our own experience sufficiently establishes the validity of the principle. We arc now trying out different methods of applying the principle to the varying sets of conditions to he found in different districts of Now Zealand, and results already obtained arc distinctly encouraging.” Though the amount of benefit sometimes claimed or suggested by the supporters of the open-air principle can scarcely he always realised, there is sufficient to justify a. thorough trial of the open-air school plan under the best possible conditions, and with a genuine desire for its success. Approval has accordingly been given for the erection of open-air rooms in connection with four or five schools, and it is expected shortly to complete a school, or four or five rooms, built on the now plan in order to test the system. Lull and exact records will he made of the state of health of the children at the outset, and during each succeeding year of school life. Those can then he compared with those of children taught in the best typo of school buildifig now being erected. History teaching will receive special attention in the 1926 syllabus, and music is worthy of special recognition and effort. Art is also noted for attention.

In analysing enrolments in tho primary schools, the report contrasts 1919 with last year, when the total reached 213,290, compared with 193,900, Auckland district accounting for 50 per cent, of tho increase. A PRESSING NEED.

In discussing features of secondary education, the report declares: “It is clear that_ oue of the pressing needs of to-day is to bring secondary education of a sound typo, suitable Lor rural needs, within the reach of a larger proportion of _ children in country schools. Consideration is being given to tho question whether the funds now applied to national scholarships should not bo used to provide boarding allowance for children who require to 4 live away from home to enable them to attend a secondary school. This fund, so used, would confer the benefit of higher education upon deserving children from the backblock areas, and would in tho ultimata result ho of greater advantage to the nation than as at present employed.