COST OF EDUCATION

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1931, Page 3

COST OF EDUCATION

MR ATM ORE’S VIEWS

COMPLEXITY OF PROBLEMS

NELSON, September 30

Acknowledging the receipt of a very appreciative letter from the New Zealand Education Institute, on his vacating the office of Minister for Education, -Mr !H. Atmore said : “1 am convinced that it would be most unwise to curtail any of the education activities of the Dominion. The problems are being more intricate and complex, and there can be no true economy, but only non-expenditure in decreasing the amount available for the intellectual development of future citizens. “J have insisted upon every occasion when; I have met the public that ignorance is infinitely more expensive than education. My views on education were not shared by all my colleagues, some of whom were emphasising the opinion that there was need for a largely decreased educational vote. I gave much thought to the possibility of finding ways of decreasing tire cost of education, without (to use the I’rime Minister’s words) “ lowering the standard of educationbut it was difficult to see where any retrenchment could be made, except in the cost of administrative control.

UNIFICATION OF CONTROL. "I have emphasised the necessity for unification of the controlling authorities, and am pleased to say that a measure of success has been attained in the unification of the technical and secondary schools' administrative bodies ; but the next step should hr* taken so that in most centres there would be only one controlling authority over the different phases oi education, which at present in most places appear to be watertight compartments. However, as the total cost of administration is £117,000, it is obvious that the he If a million—and in some instances a in 11 ion —which] it is alleged by critics can be saved, cannot be taken from the administrative costs.”

Dealing with comparisons made between the costs of 1930 arid 1914. Mr Atmore .said there had been an increase

of 61,409 children, 31.5 per cent. Actually the 1930 salary costs, reduced to Fall price levels, represented an increase of only eight per cent., which was very small considering the higher general level of teachers' qualifications, entitling them to higher salaries. “It is not generally known,” continued Mr Atmore, ‘‘that part of the real increase in the education vote is due to successful attempts to carry improved educational facilities into country districts. These appear to me to be indispensable adjuncts to successful land settlement. The Farmers’ Unions have rightly pressed for many of these reforms.

“Many attacks have been made on the expenditure on secondary education ; but all educationists are firmly convinced that the primary school standard is insufficient for the needs of to-day.

FREE PLACE REGULATION'S. “It is to be hoped that the free place regulations brought i.n by Mr R. J. ’Scddon in 1904, will not be interfered with. Personally, 1 would rather see the age-limit raised, as 1 believe we do disservice to boys and girls by forcing them to leave school in the present depressed fiincs when it is impossible to find positions for them ; they will be forced into the ranks, of the unemployed. There will be no real economy achieved by preventing girls from obtaining post-primary education. We have endeavoured in recent years to discover the aptitudis of chflTlren, so that postprimary education could be provided with such broad curricula that all different types could be catered for, with full recognition of education as an individual matter, and not one where uniform treatment can he given.

“1 cannot believe that parents and others vitally interested in education, will endorse any movement for a lower standard of education in New Zealand in these very difficult times, even though such attempts be dignified by the name of ‘economy.’ There is no safety for democracy in the world to-day unless it be an educated one. And nations must yet learn the great truth that ignorance is infinitely more expensive than education.”

Concluding, Mr Atmore said the Educational Institute’s assurance that members would welcome his reappearance as Minister for Education was most gratifying. coining from such expert educationists.