CO129-603-2 Education Department- revised grant code 5-4-1948 - 6-1-1949 — Page 130

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LL.

It follows, therefore, that if the Managers are to have any effective freedom and responsibility their right to make school charges at their discretion which are not to be off-set against recurrent expenditure must be left unimpaired, provided that the money is used for the benefit of the Schools. ithout this managerial freedom, which is essential to variety and initiative, the basic principle of a Grant-in-Aid system is destroyed; the Managers are reduced to figure-heads; and the Grant Schools are as much under Government control as Government Schools.

Article 34 of the Amended Code is therefore not acceptable to the Anglican Grant Schools.

5.

The Anglican Grant Schools Councils share the Director of Education's concern that the increased cost of . Grant-in-Aid Secondary Education should not block needed improvements in primary education. They would point out that the proposed limitation of school charges does nothing to reduce the cost of the Grant Code, and makes it impossible for the Schools to set aside sufficient sums for re-building and

pproved developments. They are willing to consider amendments to the Code which would reduce the cost to Government of the Grants, provided that such amendments make for the increased freedom and responsibility of the Managers.

6.

The whole of the prosent system whereby grants are made towards the cost of repairs and of new furniture and equipment has the effect of throwing such an intolerable burden of correspondence upon the Heads of Schools that they ore distracted from their proper duties. It was the opinion of the mecting that if the present provisions for the claiming of grants for furniture and equipment and minor repairs cannot be maintained without the oppressivo regulations which are now attached to them, a total revision of the Code should be made, so that the recurrent grade should be, for example, a proportion of the cost of salaries plus an adequate capitation grant. The effect of the present arrangements is giving rise to great anxiety.

7.

I am instructed to draw your attention to the complete conflict with the principles of paragraph 2 (b) and (c) above which is created by the whole of the present tendency to direct in detail from the Education Department the everyday management of the Schools as evidenced, for instance by recent requirements making compulsory the collection of fees monthly, forbidding entrance examination fees, determining the date of medical reports, restricting the amount and frequency of voluntery charitable giving, and so forth. It is urged that regulations which may be necessary to control schools which are run for private profit should not be applied to Grant Schools which have responsible anagers, but that the latter should be asked to observe the minimum requirements, the Government having the power to reduce or withdraw grants if the required standard of educational efficiency is not maintained.

8.

With regard to Article 16 of the Amended Code, the Meeting considered that a charge allowance of two hundred dollars a month is a totally inadequate remuneration for the responsibilities and duties of Heads of Schools, The present /system

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