FREE EDUCATION

Southland Times, Issue 24881, 22 October 1942, Page 5

FREE EDUCATION

Otago Board’s Resolution

(Special) DUNEDIN, October 21. The Otago Education Board carried the following motion today: “That, envisaging the essential work of reconstruction after the war in ah departments of our national life, this board strongly supports the democratic principle of equality in education, and is strongly of the opinion that free education from the kindergarten to the university should be the birthright of all worthy of it, irrespective of financial status/* “In a democratic community all should have equal rights of education, said the mover, Mr N. H. Colquhoun. “Let us make all educationally equal; let us give all the same chance, treating both rich and poor alike, for the good of the whole. To make this policy effective school books and stationery should be provided free at primary and secondary schools. Students attending the university where necessary should be given an adequate allowance to enable them to carry on their studies without undue hardship. There were two sides to the question, said the chairman, Mr J. Wallace. Although he was of the opinion that everyone had the right to free education, he could not help thinking that if the principles implied in the motion were fully implemented there would be an enormous waste of money, time, energy and people.