EVACUATED CHILDREN

Evening Star, Issue 23496, 9 February 1940, Page 7

EVACUATED CHILDREN

THE EDUCATION PROBLEM GOVERNMENT'S NEW PLANS (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. February 7. Replying in the House of Lords to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who asked whether the Government was in a position to make a statement of its educational policy under present conditions, with particular reference to problems caused by the evacuation of children of school age. Earl do la Warr said ho viewed! the present education conditions, especially in danger areas, with the same concern as the most ardent critic, but with no sense of

apology. What happened was the logic of evacuation. That was no reason for accepting the existing position, although it was the circumstances of air raid danger and not neglect which caused the delay in the children’s return to school. Touching on the position in reception and neutral areas, Earl do la Wacr said there were still 400,000 official evacuees as well as many tens of thousnds unofficial. Of these between 80 and 90 per cent, were working full time at school. Some of the older children were short of practical' facilities, but soon some would he going to 20 new camps which had! already been allocated to schools. LEAD FROM GOVERNMENT. Turning to danger areas, Earl de la Warr said a further lead must be given by the Government if children in towns were to be saved from demoralisation. Of nearly 1,500,000 still in danger areas, some 400,000 were receiving neither schooling nor medical care. Whatever the risk, of air raids—andl he thought the risk was still great—the situation could not be allowed to continue. He added that although education was not sir/ply the affair of the Board of Education, but a system of partnership with local authorities, he accepted the' responsibility of the Government to give a lead, especially in wartime, and he grouped" the help which the Government could give to local authorities under three heads—compulsory school attendance, return to school buildings, and air raid precautions. While there were no facilities for schooling it was dishonest to speak of enforcing attendance, but in the immediate future every child would have to go to school somewhere. “If parents are not willing to send their children to the comparative safety of reception areas—a possibility which has been, and still is, open to every child —then they must send them to school in towns.” As soon as accommodation was available, even if only at first for parttime, attendance would be enforced, and assistance to this end would be given local authorities. COMMANDEERED BUILDINGS. With regard to the return of buildings, Earl de la Warr said , that commandeering by the Government was not the most serious problem, as departments had been helpful in relinquishing them, andl he instanced the Office of Works, which handed back 72 out of 79 schools taken. The real problem was where school buildings had been taken by the local authority for civil defence purposes. This .problem was being met in consultation with the Ministers of Security and Health. The authorities would be instructed to proceed with the building of air raid shelters, and as soon as completion was in sight children would be admitted to the schools.