EDUCATION ECONOMY

Taranaki Daily News, 10 June 1931, Page 10

EDUCATION ECONOMY

CASE OF RELIEVING TEACHER DEPARTMENT CRITICISED. Criticism of the Government in general xor “false” economies on education was ventilated at a meeting of the Wellington School Committees and Education Federation on Monday evening. The principal point discussed was that of relieving teachers upon which a letter was sent to tho Minister as a result of the previous meeting’s deliberations. ’ ' The Minister of Education, in. reply, stated that he regretted the necessity for amending the conditions under which the relieving teachers might jbe employed. The financial position was such that the curtailment of expenditure in this direction was unavoidable. He .pointed out that the new regulations gave the senior inspector discretionary power in the appointment of relieving teachers. Mr. F. Coombs said he thought th® senior inspector would exercise discretionary powers if the case warranted it. The question as he saw it was entirely one of finance, which bound the hands of the officials of the department, and also any discretionary powers that the Minister himself would be pleased to exercise. He considered it absolutely useless passing resolutions. The on© useful direction in which the association could work was getting the whole-hearted support of the public behind it in regard to the schools. He did not think that anything like an adequate number of the parents were aware of the harm which the children would suffer as a result of false economy. Before making representations to Parliament, he said, it -was essential that they had the assurance of public opinion. After considerable discussion it was decided to call a meeting of protest against economies prejudicial to primary schools, and following “the meeting to take a deputation to the Minister of Education on the subject.