SCHOOL AGES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16419, 13 January 1919, Page 7

SCHOOL AGES.

EXTENSION CALLED FOII. Wlion the Educational Institute resumed its sittings at Wellington on Saturday, further consideration was given to the proposals for embodiment in au amended Education Bill. Mr F. T. Evans (Christchurch) moved:—"That in order to make for greater efficiency both in the individual and in the State, it is imperative 'that compulsory education bo extended to 16 years of age without exception, financial assistance boing given when necessary; iurther, that between the ages of 16 and 18 thero bo compulsory attendance at continuation or vocational classes in daylight hours." Mr Evans emphasised the need for drastic i Iterations if they were to obtain that national efficiency of which so much had been said. 'Fully 50 per cent, of children finished their education at 14 years, and 30 or 40 per cent, of those had not even passed the sixth standard. They went into a ll kinds of child labour, and thus was croatod the mays of dissatisfied men and women, w ho had not had the opportunitv owing to a lack of general culturo of bettering their position. It was between the agos of 11 and 18 that children were mcfit renoptiro of ideas, and if they continued their education in this period many of them would Ijocome great assets to the nation. A mass of evidence showed that the need was not for oarlv vocational training, but for a broad cultural education. Tho N institutc had already declared that there should be no vocational training before 14, and ho would go further, and say that it should not commence before IG. The great improvement that had boon made by means of the Workem' Educational Associations showed that there wore numbers of men who desired to acquire a general culture. The onlv possible objection to tho proposals for the extension of school ago wns the economic one, and this was provided for by granting financial assistance to parents in case of nood. Aftor n lengthy discussion tho motion was carried.