COMPULSORY SCHOOL

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 264, 31 July 1908, Page 8

COMPULSORY SCHOOL

ATTENDANCE.

" LEGAL ATTENDERS." SOME DISQUIETING'STATISTICS. Tho Education Board, at its meeting yesterday, devoted a considerable portion of , its sitting to a discussion on the working of tho School Attendance Act, which was placed on the Statute Book in 1901. Under the provisions of this Act, every child between tho ages of seven and fourteen years.is compelled to attend school not less than four out of six, six out of eight, or'eight out of ten times that the particular school at which they are ■ placed may bo open each ' week. "Times" ■ is interpreted to. mean half-days, so that tho limit, of absence without good and sufficient reason is one whole day in each week. This, according to tho secretary of the Education Board (Mr.'G. L. Stewart), is an unsatisfactory clause, and he quoted statistics to prove his contention. There had come under his notice a class of children whom he called "legal attenders," that was to say, who systematically absented • themselves'from school 'one day in eacji week. This'sort of thing, he thought, was ruinous to the continuity, of the'•child's education, and authorities everywhere were coming to tho conclusion that children should be • compelled' to attend all the time. He suggested that'the Board formulate 'a recommendation to the Minister for -Education, urging' hi mto amend the clause by deleting the optional day altogether. Captain M'Donald hoped the Board would refrain from such a course. Ho did riot, bolieve that the absentee evil was a systematic one. There' might, of course, be' a few.isolated cases.

Mr. Stewart,-continuing, said that in 1905, twenty-two States, in America had recognised tho prineiplo lie advocated, and adopted it. London, Holland, Switzerland, and Germany had also enforced the " wlHe time" system of attendance. -At least 10 per cent, of the children in tho city schools absented themselves regularly for one day in each week. This was exclusive of absence for reasons of illness. • • ' .

Another point was the result of the operation of .tho exemption clauso,' by .Which' a pupil could leave at 14 years of ago, or if not 14, if ho had passed Standard V. Between Standards IV and Vthero was an extraordinary leakage, as ho showed by tho following table:— •Year. Roll No. \ 1905 Standard IV ... 16,7,73 Standard V .... 14;462 : I,l ' : ■ ; 1 ' ■ 2,311 V 1906 standard; IV ... 14,711 : ' Standard V " ... 16,557 1,846' ■ . ■1907 ... Standard IV ... 14,751 ' " ; Standard V ... 16,425 \ '.■ ! 1,674 That was to. sayj - continued, tho speaker, one : oighth of those who ought to have passed Standard V did not do so. Ho had addressed tho other Boards on tho matter, and had received replies—all favourable —from' four. 1 Mr.'Hogg was of opinion that tho Secretary's suggestion should be given offect to;, tho .Board might 'pass a resolution recommending the Government ,to abolish, tho . optional absence day, and forward also an: ex-', planatory , note, setting .forth the arguments submitted by Mr: Stewart. Thero should bo no delay in moving if thoy wanted a clauso inserted, in the Education Act Amendment Bill now before the House. Ho moved accordingly. • Mr. .T. :R. Fleming (senior _ inspector) pointed, out that in oho of tho Swiss Cantons absencß from school-constituted a fino, and the parents were at onco called upon to show cause why the fine should not be paid. The odd-day absentee was a serious menace to the goneral efficiency of'a class. "Washing day" had a lot to answer for. ■

: Mr. Hogg: That's the troubla—washingday. ■

Mr. Field's - sympathies were with the mothers. ' Whore there was' a number of children in tlio. family. ho ■ thought it. only fair that tho inbthor should have the , assistance of one of them on washing-days. Thoro wero. arguments both- for and. against it.' ' -Captain , McDonalddissented.. In ' many schools tho . average attendanco was 99 per cent, of the roll number. -Ho thought that. it. might .be'well'to hear what tho School Committees had to say. . This was one .of the most, serious things the Board had'ever proposed-to do. Ho. moved as an amendment that the matter bo referred to the committees, but, no seconder "appearing, tho amendment lapsed. ' , Mr. Fogg said that Captain McDonald need not, be afraid of tho Minister or, tho Education Committee of tho House acting hastily. The matter would be fully considered. - . : Thb'motion was. then put and carried.