COST OF EDUCATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1076, 24 July 1924, Page 4

COST OF EDUCATION

STATEMENT BY PREMIER. OVER THREE MILLIONS LAST YEAR, In delivering the Financial Statement in Parliament last night the Prime Minister referred to education, saying. Iho expenditure from Government sources oil education services during the past financial year was as follows: From Consolidated Fund! 7-Vote, . I partment of Education, £2,604,508; special Acts, £96.506; Teachers’ Superannuation Fund 68.000; primary-education reserves revenue, £108,071; secondary education reserves revenue, £8287; Native schools endowment revenue, £450; National &n----dowment revenue, £77,788; education loan, for buildings, £295,631 ; public buildings fire insurance fund, £12,490; total, £3,271,78L ■. , “If to this is added the amount derived by secondary school boards aiid University College Councils from reserves vested in them —about £7B,loo—the total expenditure from public sources is approximately £3,349,900, as compared with £3,286,000 in 1922- The total expenditure has grown from £1,233,328 in 1911-12 to £3,271,781 in 1923- or an increase, of 166 per • cent., whilst the total , cost of education for the current year 13 estimated at £3,351,000. In 1911 the average salary for an adult primary-school teacher was only £l6O, but the salaries were increased by the 1914 Actj and were subsequently further increased until the average now is £268, or 67 per cent, higher. In the secondary scale the average salary of principals in 1911 wus £464, and that of assistants only £204. First by increasing 'the capitation grunt, and afterwards by providing a Dominion 9cale of salaries, these averages were increased to £636, and £315, while similar provision has been made for improving the salaries of technical teachers. The cost of education mounts up as the school population increases and extended use is made of the privileges of free secondary and higher education. While it is a matter for satisfaction that the number of children taking post-primary courses in our high schools is thus increasing, it is a question whether the present system does not tend rather to induce young people to follow- a line of education and training that has a bias towards the professional and clerical, to the disadvantage of practical agricultural and industrial pursuits; and the Department is giving its attention to this problem with the view of evolving a provision which should give a sound post-primary education to the pupils who do not go on to the University or the professions. The large sum of £1,993,935 has been expended since 1918-19 in meeting the pressing demand for school buildings, and suitable provision is being made for continued progress in thii important connection.”