British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Volume II - Page 674

CHAPTER XVI.

Further, the multiplication of administrative bodies makes it difficult to arrive at, or to enforce, any important decision. Year by year the budget has been presented months after the opening of the schools. During those months, new classes are• being opened and teachers are being transferred, so that in many schools regular work has been impossible until long after the beginning of the session.

Moreover the powers of the Va'ad Leumi Director are not clearly defined and his authority is at times ignored by the School Councils or even by the Chief Inspector in his own Department.

The Government Department of Education has on many occasions made recommendations for the improvement of the administration of the Va'ad Leumi schools, and in particular for strengthening the central control by the Va'nd Leumi: but these recommendations have not infrequently been rejected on account of the opposition of the teachers and of party interests.

(b) Government control of Va'ad Leumi Schools.

110. The Government Department of Education includes a Hebrew inspectorate, consisting of an Assistant Director and five Inspectors, who are primarily engaged in the inspection and control of the Vaad Leumi schools. Reports and recommendations are regularly submitted to the Vaad Leumi Department of Education; Government inspectors are represented on various committees, both administrative and pedagogical, of the Va'ad Leumi: and from time to time joint conferences of Inspectors are held to discuss general questions of educational policy.

111. In addition to this indirect control, direct control by the Government Department is exercised in three ways :-

(i) Va'ad Leumi budget. The Va'ad Leumi are required to submit their budget to Government for approval, in default of which the Government grant or a part of it may be withheld. In recent years, Government, was unable to approve the budget and the ordinary grant (exclusive of compensatory allowances) was till the present year paid at the rate of £P.62,000 per annum as in 1942-43 when the Va'ad Leumi budget was last approved. Arrears were restored in 1945-46.

Further, the Va'ad Leumi are required to submit monthly financial statements of educational expenditure and revenue. The grant-in-aid to Jewish education is paid to the Va'ad Leumi by monthly installments subject to approval of these financial statements.


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