THE EDUCATION QUESTION

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1737, 16 December 1887, Page 2

THE EDUCATION QUESTION

+ 1 Dunedin, December 16. , At a meeting of the Education Boar ) today the question of the propose > alterations by the Government W6re dea with. As regards the grant to Norms sohoolß a memorandum was adoped whict among other thingo, stated :— l. Th proposed redaction of the capitation gran i to £3 153 per head, and the discontlouaric ■ of paymajts on account of soholars unde six yeara of age, will so seriously reduc the income of the Board aa to render 1 Impossible to maintain the Normal echoo m a proper state of efficiency, If at all without the grant hitherto received fron Parliament, 2 Of the 323 students whc had received training m the institution and had left at the end of 1886 nc fewer than 227 were reported as being engaged as teacherß In public schools ol the colony, while a large proportion oi tboee who had then dißOon inued teaohing had, before doing so, rendered valuable public service for longer or shorter periods, and the Board confidently affirms that, but for the servloes of so large a number of Intelligent and ekllful teachers as have been trained at Its Normal School It, would have been Impossible to procure a sufficient number of properly qualified teachers for the dlstrlot. 3 The number of students at present In attendance ia sixty-seven. Tha Board, by withdrawal of the present grant, will be unable to fulfil its legal obligations, not only to present students 1 of the institution, bnt to the entire body of pupil teachers (152 In number, who have been Induced to enter the Board's service under the pnpll teachers' regulations, and the Normal Sohool regulations, which are m operation by the expreßH sanction of the Minister of Education. As to the difference to be made In the oaloulating of capitation, It waß resolved — "The Board desires to represent to Government and Parliament the great hardship and incoavenienc9 that will resnlt from payment of capitation on strict average Instead of worklug average, not only affecting the Board's income, bnt also In view of the fluctuation that would take plaoe In the returns, and consequent payment to committees and teachers, more eßpeoially In outlying sohools, where the attendance is Injuriously affeoted by bad yoads and feather, the Board urges the great inadviaabillty of making the proposed ohaoge."