EDUCATION.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1434, 8 May 1912, Page 7

EDUCATION.

SYSTEM TO BE OVERHAULED. MR, HANAN'S INTENTIONS, tßi Toltcrarh-lPrcu Association.! ■ Christchurch,. May 7. Tlio Hon. J. A. Hanan. Minister foi Education, on being econ by a press re portor to-day, Imd lio statement-'to nu.,o concerning tho report that a ltoyal Commission on education would probably bo set up. In reply to a question as to (lie programme Jio had mapped out for himself in his new oiliee, he remarked that, ns in a large* business so in a Stat© Department, k was good to have a thorough overhaul at times. But to go into tho whole question of education in Mew Zealand was :i very big order tor u couple of months when Departmental work was pressing. The question was frequently, asked i ."Are wo getting value for I.ho money spent ou education!-" Oil thnt point inquiries; would bo made in various directions. The cost of education in respect to primary, technical, and secondary work, mid iis relation to efficiency, was a subject ou which more light was needed, and it lhc-i« were any directions in which a higher standard of efficiency or better adminis. tralion and co-ordimUijii could Iks secured they should be followed. The powers possessed bj; the Education Boards and other local bodies in their finance, and possible overlapping and duplication, might prolitabiy bo inquired into, as well as in what respects the syllabus could be improved, tho extension of agricultural instruction, the methods of teaching in seconding .doparlments, the appointment and promotion of teachers, their superannuation, tho centralisation of rural schools, the conveyanco of children to them, and the conditions under which scholarships and free places were now obtained. ]n the Xorlh Island, Mr. Ilanan said, a keen interest was being taken ill technical education, and there wa.s a strong; desire for classes in agriculture. . Questioned regarding continuation classes and technical classes, Mr. Ilanan said that in Wangninii particularly the attendance was very high, and a deputation had waited on him urging (hat regulations should b# framed. ' These were being considered, but they could not be applied to the whole Dominion at onee, as public opinion had to be educated-on the subject.

Discussing tho recent extension of free university education decided on by Cabinet, 'Mr. llanan remarked that very cautious progress must be made. Educationists who had communicated with him nn the subject had expressed . tho warmest approval of what hud been done. He hoped'that it would lie made possiblo for pupils of .day. technical schools,, 'q# those -taking complete evening courses, to gain either senior leaving certificates or leaving certificates similar to them. The higher technical scholarships allowed .by Act were not yet established/ but he hoped soon that they would bo available. "I do not anticipate a stormy session,' Uio Minister said in reply to n -suggestion. "I have heard of stormy sessions ever since I entered Parliament, but they do not generally come to pass. Tile kindly expressions of opinion I have beard regarding tho new Ministry indicate n dcsiro to give the Government a fair opportunity.": . Mr. Hiuuin added that applications were beinji invited for two medical, .practitioners to undertake the medical examination of school children. Olio would be. a ladv. An Education Commission to inquirei into tho position of State education would be sat ui) after next meeting ol Cannier, is would consist of representatives oi education boards, high school boarus. school teachers, and inspectors, representatives of technical schools, and representatives o£ the Government. THE SMALL SCHOOLS. 'INSPECTOR'S REMEDIAL- PLAN, (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Chriitchurch, May Mr T. S. Poster, chief inspector of schools, when asked by a representative of "The Press'' for his opinion on the nction oi' the recent meeting of the Teachers' Institute at Tiinarn, in deniandinjr a minimum salary of .£l5O for school teachers, gave some iiitercstiiiij- facts about schools. . Most boards, he said, were willing enough to centralise, that is to abolish the numbers of small country school with an average attendance of less than 10 pupils, and substitute centralisation by conveyance—a which hud ( pro\ ini successful in Canada and Victoria, ami which existed in the germ in f>ew /.ealr,iv\. It a certain number-01. ir.U'ems made a proper claim, the State providrd a conveyance to carry their c - dren to the ne;ire-t scliool. School flii.dren wore also taken tree of cost cji .no trains and, by a further concession, tho-) who had passed their Standard hix examination, and attained their certificate of proficioncy» were i a ken free of by the train to the nearest district high S< The' onlv obstacle against the further carrying out of his centralisation schema was the conservatism, and prejudice of parents. People living in the baeMocU i,referred an inefficient school with- ha by paid teachers in ilieir immediate ne.Slibonrhood to an efficient school a* oi distance. A school was a useful asset m advertising a property for sale, ..CUM clo«c at hand," passing, as an, extra at,vantage with married men. • ••• In the small back-black schools there were few teachers with certificates. A. oovtiflocl teacher eouM not be 0 go and throw away his or her talent t.rt a small school with perhaps-an *>ei.«o attendance of only seven or.olK.lt «. - dren, and a salary correspondingly small. In the back country, north ot Auckland. and in the large, tracts openednf> by the Main Trunk railway theie wui now 200 nn ertificated teachers ill sn.a.l schools, this making a reenrd .fm . .iy d'stHft in New Zealand, aim fort., Bow, branch schools had recently sprnn; int? existence in the s;!me district Ihui timre were the aineil schools m i.u. .■lnrlborough Sounds where tho eacher rcconj e .l a small salary from the Male, .1. d the parents made a •lii'l oth"rs (like the liealey School) w.iicn were nractically family, schools. To demand a fixed minimum sakr> for teachers in this kimi oi school, Mr. luster contended, was absurd. , A minimum salary, however, already j'Sis.ed for cwcH grade, and this was perfectly and proper, but one fixed inimmi<i'i would not be practicable mini centraU - lion was adopted, the present system in !'" in certain places of having ,1 wagon to earrv children- to the nearest school contained the germ.of such a svsiem a no. if expanded, would undoubted!) lead to very satisfactory results.