SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 982, 24 November 1910, Page 9

SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS.

A REPORT TO PARLIAMENT. An interesting report has been tabled by the Education Committee on a large number oi' petitions for an amendment in the regulations for rural schools. The committee states there was not suilicient evidence hefofe it to enable it to say jniether the quality' of insb'uetion in the rural schools has imprdved or otherwise during the past few years. There has been a very large increase in the uumber of small schools 61 tlio I)ot minion, and the largest increase has taken place m the very small schools. l'Ji December, 1899, the total number of. schools with an average attendance not exceeding fourteen was 251, while in Decomber, 1909, the total number of schools with an average attendance not over fif-: teen was 589, and the committeo.is as-' ie num ber now exceeds 600. ' .the next large increase in the number I of schools has taken place in tho soleteacher schools, other than those just mentioned. The establishment of, these small schools has brought education with--111 ;' ie reach of many children, who would not otherwise have received any recognised State, instruction. The great majority of the teachers who. have no recognised examination status are empioyea in the schools above mentioned, lhe total number of such teachers in December 1899, was 158, while in Dcccmber, 1909, the number was GB9. The number of certificated teachers emploj'ed m public primary schools in 1899 was in,™ the number was 2594, but it should be remembered that in the internal the Department has ceased, except in a few special instances, to issue certificates of Class E, the lowest class in existence in former years. Taking the certificates of Classes A, B, C, and D °nly, the number held by teachers era?™r d oo£ June ' 1899 ' was i" June, 1909, 2351,. an increase of 709. On the other hand, tho requirements for' a license are much stricter than formerly, .aiur many of those having partial qualifications are also of a standing equivalent to b. lhe'Education Committee seds no reason why a distinct change should be m , .ii u P lO - classification of ' country'. And city schools. The regulations already give considerable* liberty to teachers to differentiate in tho country schools-as regards the subject taught and tho grouping of classes. The appointment of teachers is in.the hands of the boards, and the committee is of opinion that the boards have ample powers in this respect-under the existing law. No evidence has been submitted' to show that the boards are not. using their powers wisei.y. While approving of tho general principle that a teacher should be responsible for the promotion of his pupils, tho xomraittfe is of opinion that in the smaller schools the inspector should give a larger amount of attention than at present to ■ organising?' to visiting more frequently such schools as may specially require his- assistance, and to exercising a moro immediate supervision over them. If necessary, the regulations should be altered to ensure this object. Ihe committee considers that if the work of the inspectors is recognised, additional ll- ( s ou sbt not to be necessary-to givo eilcct to such an object. . Mr Allen (Bruce) said that it was felt rural districts that insufficient help was given by the inspectors in the matter of classification of the pupils. If that were done better benefits would be derived from the .teaching. i\ T o delay should occur in amending, the regulations "such were found to be required. Tho Hon. D. Buddo held -that. tho report was a complete -vindication" of tho results of the recent ext&nsion of the education system.

ii f "rther discussion, it was agreed that the report should be. submitted to the. Government for its favourable consideration.