Warning Against Growth Of Bureaucracy In Education

Press, Volume C, Issue 29500, 29 April 1961, Page 12

Warning Against Growth Of Bureaucracy In Education

(Neto Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN. April 28. Bureaucratic control in place of the present democratic system of administration of education in New Zealand was forecast today by Mr R. F. Phillipps, retiring secretary-manager of the Otago Education Board. Mr Phillipps said this would be the result if the Education Department’s submission to the Education Commission on alterations to the administrative system were approved. The department proposed broadly-constituted boards or local councils with provisions for primary and post-prim-ary school representatives. The department suggested it could be necessary for these councils to be staffed by public servants. “I doubt if it is realised what effect these proposals could have on future educational administration.’’ Mr Phillipps said. "The New Zealand press missed this vital point.”

Education boards had asked for autonomy, but he doubted if they wanted autonomy if it meant the abolition of the present system.

The department had already set up district council offices at Auckland and Christchurch. The plan was to extend this system although education boards were doubtful of the wisdom in this..

Mr Phillipps said it appeared these offices were needed because of the increased number of post-prim-ary school boards. The initial mistake was in making it possible for each new high school to have its own board of governors. “Is the department's policy to staff its proposed new councils with public servants a move to absorb the staffs of the district offices and thus rectify the mistake that has been made in setting up district offices?" Mr Phillipps said. “In the submission the as-

sistant-Director of Education (administrative) told the commission there would be a merging of district office staffs and education board staffs.

“The Director of Education (Mr A. E. Campbell) said these combined staffs could service education in the district and be responsible solely to head office.

“How can such a council have any independence if all its officers are servants of the State, directly responsible to the Director of Education in Wellington?"

The council could not possibly serve two masters—especially when it was considered that the future of any officer in the service was dependent on his loyalty to the head of the department. If the submission was given effect he was sure the present democratic system of administration would come to and end and in its place would come a system of bureaucratic control. Local school committees would become mere rubber stamps. Should the commission endorse this ' submission. Mr Phillipps said he hoped the events of 1927 would be repeated. Then the Government was trying to economise and planned to abolish both primary and secondary school boards. Opposition destroyed the department’s case on that occasion.

Mr Phillipps said he believed educational bodies would be strong enough again to oppose the implementation of this submission