Students Seek Increased Bursaries

Press, Volume C, Issue 29497, 26 April 1961, Page 16

Students Seek Increased Bursaries

Bigger university bursaries are being sought by the New Zealand Students’ Association. In a statement the president of the association (Mr E. A. Woodfield) said the association had sent a letter to the Minister of Education (Mr Tennent) seeking immediate implementation of recommendations by the Parry Committee, which investigated university education. The committee suggested: An increase in the higher school certificate monetary award from £4O to £5O for full-time students; an increase in the higher school certificate boarding allowance from £5O to £lOO for fulltime students; the introduction of a special master’s degree award of £125 for full-time students; approval for the payment of the full higher school bursary to those full-time students who have gained university entrance and have passed three units of the B.A. or B.Sc. course or the equivalent in other courses in a previous year. “At the annual general meeting of the association held at Dunedin during Easter, delegates from all universities and agricultural colleges in New Zealand were most distressed that the Government had not yet taken any action on the bursary recommendations of the Parry report, which was presented more than a year

ago,” said the statement. "Particularly disturbing were reports from all constituents that many students would find great difficulty in continuing their full-time studies this year on the present level of bursary payments. “The association has stated on a number of occasions that it believes increased expenditure on university education is essential for the future well-being of New Zealand. For this reason the action n of the previous Government in ■ increasing the quinquennial grants, staff salaries, research grants and so on, as recommended by the Parry committee, were welcomed by students throughout the country. “It must be ' emphasised, however, that fundamental to the case presented by the Parry committee in seeking increased expenditure in these fields were the economic and social arguments with which it emphasised the pressing need for more full-time students at our universities. These are arguments of general principle that were widely accepted throughout the community. “The association is firmly of the opinion that an increase In bursary payments is essential if full-time studies are to be encouraged. This was also the view of the Parry. committee, as refer- ' ences to its report makes i clear. Other expenditure is 1 essential to provide adequate

I facilities for students when ■ they do attend full time, but : surely the essential step > must be to provide the initial ’ encouragement for . full-time study. i “For a number of years ■ the principle has been estabI lished that financial assisti ance to students is a vital ■ part of the State’s responsi- > bility in ensuring that the i best use is made of our edu- > cational facilities and that all • have equality of opportunity • to use those facilities. If > bursaries are not increased i now this principle and the arguments of the Parry comr mjttee are being largely ig- - nored. The likely conses quences of this are extremely s disturbing. s “The likely high rate of • withdrawal from full-time - studies during this year des rnands urgent remedial acs tion by the Government,” s said the statement.