ECONOMY IN EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21146, 1 April 1932, Page 11

ECONOMY IN EDUCATION.

PROPOSALS OF COMMISSION. ALTERNATIVES SUGGESTED. VIEWS OF TEACHERS' BODY. Disagreeing in part with the savings in education proposer] by the National Expenditure Commission, the central executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute has drawn up an alternative scheme of economies, effecting practically an equivalent saving. The executive points out that educational opinion was not consulted l>v the commission and states that the institute's report is the result, of careful investigation by experts. The executive approves of -a national board to control and supervise the education system, but recommends that the principle of local interest should be conserved by the creation of district boards, inexpensively organised and equipped, each of which would control primary, secondary and technical education. Substantial economies, it was considered, could be effected by the hulk purchase by tender of school requisites; the abolition of departmental examinations; the reduction of the inspectorate; the reduction of teacher-training by half; the elimination of small post-primary classes; savings in building expenditure; the curtailment of departmental reports and returns and travelling expenses; and insistence upon school hostels being self-supporting.

Details of Savings. The executive claims that a saving of over £500,000 could be effected by the adoption of the following proposals:— Abolition of existing 54 toards in favour of new unified boards _. . £60,000 Savings on account of occupation of present board offices by other Government departments . . 7,000 Bulk purchase of supplies for issue upon requisition system, and savings in expenditure upon, cleaning of schools 40,000 Closing smaller grade O schools . . 6,000 Retention of certain pupils in Standard 7 15,000 Elimination of small post-primary classes 40,000 Increase in average number of pupils in post-prifnary classes by 2i .. ... 45,000 School hostel savings 4,000 Reduction of teacher training by half 86,400 Printing or.ly one concise "E" report and discontinuing the Education Gazette 1,150 TTend office travelling 400 Saving in building expenditure . . 200,000 £504,950 School Starting Age. The executive points out that the savings would be exclusive of economics possible in respect of university education and the Child Welfare Department, further partculars of its suggestions are not at present given by the executive, which states that a full report will oe presented to the commission.

In a criticism of the commission's proposals, the executive states it was strongly impressed by the evils, educational and social, likely to result from raising the minimum school age to six. As subsidies for free kindergartens had been removed, a grave hardship would be inflicted upon children and parents. It considers that the total abolition of education boards would inevitably deprive the public of its association with the active control of schools and would lead to centralised control. In the opinion of the executive, curtailment of the privileges of secondary education would deprive children of great benefits and reduction in allowances to school committees would increase the difficulty of keeping schools clean.