EDUCATION EXPENDITURE.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 September 1930, Page 6

EDUCATION EXPENDITURE.

It is rather remarkable tliat the annual reports of two -of the most important State departments are more or less affected, by inquiries into their future organisation. The statement of the Minister of Railways, presented to Parliament a few days.ago, said plainly that many matters were left out of his annual review pending the report of the commission that is at present holding an inquiry into railway methods and organisation. On Wednesday the Minister of Education submitted his annual report to the House of Representatives. Here, again, the necessity for reorganisation has limited to some extent full comment upon the work of the department and upon its plans for the future. With an expenditure involved of over 'four million pounds annually there is certainly need for assurance that the Dominion is receiving full value for the large sum expended. Provided this is so no country can make a better investment of public funds than by devoting them to education. Upwards of half a million pounds was spent last year on new buildings in connection with schools, and as in many instances these were to renew worn-out and obsolete premises there does not seem much likelihood of decreased expenditure in this direction for some years to come. Next to hospitals, there have been more changes in the designs of school buildings in the last decade than in almost any other kind of public building. Fortunately, the tendency is to simpler style and to the “open-air” class of schoolroom whcreever such is feasible. The statistics attached to the report contain one ominous figure. Enrolments in the primary schools show a decrease of 833 as i compared with the previous year. It is admitted that this is due to the falling birth rate and to the cessation of immigration. It makes it obvious that if natural increase alone is to be depended upon the full development of the Dominion will be a very slow process, and shows again how serious the fall in the birth rate is to the future of the nation. On the other hand, the attendance average has been over 90 per cent., a condition which makes it clear that the majority of school children are physically strong. Reference is made in the report to the reduction in the size of classes, a matter which all educationists agree is one that calls for urgent attention. As the Minister points out, to reduce classes all round nieans more buildings and more teachers, and at a time when money is scarce it is difficult to provide these as rapidly as would seem desirable. It is to be hoped that iir.the reorganisation that is now under consideration economies may be effected that will make available more funds for the reduction in size of primary school classes. They are the foundations of the national educational training, and their importance as such is beyond question.