The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1877.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 108, 31 July 1877, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, JULY 31, 1877.

Ministers have not been idle during the recess. Although it is yet early in the Session, a variety of measures have been laid before Parliament, not the least important of which is a Bill to provide a national system of education for New Zealand. Based upon the principle that it is the duty of the State to see that the children do not grow up in ignorance, and moreover, considering that it is impossible under existing circumstances that all should be of the same faith, provision is made that the education thus provided shall be free, compulsory and secular, yet, inasmuch as by far the larger majority of the people recognise the existence of a Supreme Being, and look upon the Bible as the revelation of His will to mankind, it has been determined that, although distinctive doctrinal teaching shall be prohibited, yet the existence of the Deity shall be iecognised, and that the Bible shall not be excluded from the schools, which are to be opened by reading the Lord's Prayer and a portion of Holy Scripture selected for the occasion. But in order to protect those who may not desire that their children shall be present when school is thus opened, a conscience clause is added, which exempts any child or children being present whose parents or guardians maj in writing signify to the committee or the teacher, their wish to that effect. It will thus be seen, that whilst denominational teaching is rigorously excluded from the schools, and only secular instruction allowed, yet care is taken not in any way to undermine the belief in the existence of a higher power, and that earnest longing for immortality, without which man would be little.better than the beasts of the field.

We come now to the consideration of the principle upon which it is proposed that this system of education, shall be carried into effect, and the machinery necessary for working the same. This principle may be thus briefly stated. That it is the duty of the State to provide the greater portion of the funds, to see that none but properly qualified teachers are employed; ' to provide means for the training of teachers ; to see that the work of inspection is carried out, and generally to supervise the system of education throughout the colony. Beyond this it is not proposed that the State shall go; the detailed administration being left to local bodies. The machinery proposed is to consist of a Minister of Education, with his Secretary and staff of officers ; Boards of Education, that are to have charge of the Educational Districts into which the colony will be divided—Canterbury containing two of these, namely,. North and South Canterbury—and School Committees, whose function it will be to see to the administration of the system within the school districts. The duties of the Department of Education we have already set forth, when defining the principle upon which the system is proposed to be worked. The members of each Board will be elected by the various School Committees within the several Educational Districts. The Board, which is a body corporate, has to establish and maintain public schools within the school districts, to define new school districts, and to establish schools therein. The Board has the power to appoint, suspend, or-di.-miss teachers, and to remove a teacher from one school to another. Present teachers are to continue in office, a month's notice to be given on either side, except in cases of dismissal for immoral conduct, or for gross misbehaviour. The Board can, with the sanction of the Minister for Education, establish high schools for (secondary education ; it can also establishj and private persons may found, scholarships. The Board has also the power to make regulations for the employment of pupil teachers, and generally to exercise control over educational matters within the district over which it has charge. School Committees are to be elected annually by the householders

in the *School Districts, their powers and functioTfis being very much the same as I already provided- by the " Canterbury , "Education Ordinance." They have power to recommend teachers to the Bdard for appointment, suspension, or dismissal; Parents are exempted from the payment of fees, except for higher, education.; but the Committees are required to levy a capitation tax for eachchild above the age of five and under tfoat of fifteen years, except it shall be proved that such, child is receiving adequate instruction otherwise than in a public school, or is incapacitated by physical or mental infirmity from attending school, or receiving instruction. The expenditure of the" money thus raised is vested in the School Committees. - The curriculum of studies to be pursued in primary schools has : been enlarged by the addition of vocal music and drawing from objects. ■'">; '•";'-■" .We have thus endeavoured to present our readers with a broad outline of this important measure for providing for the education of the people of New Zealand, and which is now under the consideration of Parliament. Doubtless it has some defects, but taken as a Whole, it well deserves to be called a carefully devised scheme for promoting national education.