GoverNMENT'S Education Policy.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 4, 30 September 1907, Page 5

GoverNMENT'S Education Policy.

LIBERALTY, TO BACK- BLOCKS. LIBERALITY TO ■ BLACK-BLOCKS NATIVE SCHOOLS. 'J£f. Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) Auckland, "September 28. Asked by a "Herald" reporter jyhethor ,in view*- of the complaints as to- the children -of tho secondary schools being overworked, the Government had considered the question of a new syllabus, the Hon. George Fowlds replied that his Department was not wholly: responsible for the secondary .school'curriculum! Tho only thingwas that thoso enjoying the benefit of ■froo places had to pnss an examination in order to get a senior free place. That examination had necessarily to be set- sonjowhat high .in order to enable a selection to bo mado. The intention was not to carry every- \ body through tho secondary schools and on through the university, but to make it possible for all the brighter scholars to go through! llefcrring to educational facilities for the back block districts, -Mr. Fo\ylds claimed that the Government iras spending' very much .more, in that direction now than had over been spent before. The amount, of the building vote for primary schools had gono up considerably in the last four or five years, and there was not very' much cause for complaint. He claimc'd that as Ministcr for Education he had been particularly generous during this last year with tho back' block's schools, so much so that the amount of money available for spending within the financial year lias been pretty well allocated already.

As to technical education aud Government assistance towards the same, Mr. Fowlds declared that the Government had been too generous, particularly as to building for the future. ' They would need to curtail that, expenditure,-and' to insist' upon ' some considerable local effort in order to entitle any place to buildings for technical education. As far as capitation went, it was clear that in this respect also tho Government ■' had erred on thesido of liberality, and it was a question whether they would not have to reduce capitation in con- , neetion with some of the less essential branches and devote more attontion to the purely' technical or industrial side. Mr. Fowlds said, ho would like to take tho opportunity of saying a few words in favour of the native schools system. Hero and there lie had found people criticising this system. A good many of those who criticised it had never seen anything of the work. Our native school teachers wero on the average of a very high standard, and in all the appointments made in the last, two or three years the Government had insisted upon-as high a standard of teaching ability in connection with native schools as was applied to the primary schools. Consequently, thero vas just, as good .a selection of teachers;offering for.: each/; The Government also insisted' upbii the introduction of instruction of agriculture and carpentry in tho native-schools. During J:ho, recess ;Mr. Fowlds hoped to' make an extendocUvisitt'o some of the native schools in the Auckland district and. down in tho direction of Gisborno. .