TRAVERSED.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1640, 6 January 1913, Page 3

TRAVERSED.

ROYAL COMMISSION'S REPORT ON EDUCATION. HOW TEACHERS SEE IT. (By Teloiraph.—Press Association.) New Plymouth, January 5. At Saturday's meeting of tho New Zealand Educational Institute, the following report was submitted by tho committoo set up to considor tho report lately presented to l'arliameut by tho Royal Commission on Education: Your co'mmittoo begs to submit the following report as tho result of its deliberations—Our tusk proved ono of considerable difficult}', as so much had to be done in tho very short time at our disposal. Wo were delighted to find in the report recommendations of reforms advocated by this institute for years past. Your committee took into consideration only thoso portions of the report not dealt witfh by the remits appearing on the order paper as follow:— - Education Boards. 1 Education boards.—Your committee spproveg of tho proposal to reduce tho number of education boards to fivo, as suggested by tho commission. Members of these boards should bo clccted on the adult sulfrago basis, tho boards to havo the right of controlling primary, technical. and secondary education, as well ns Native schools within their own districts. 2. School boards.—Owing to lack of time your committee was unable to give this proposal the consideration which its importance deserves, but,, speaking_generally, we favour most_ of the ideas set forth under tho heading. It does not seem to us, however, that February is the l»st month for the election of school boards. Cost of Education. 3. Cost of education.—Tho only portion of tho report under this heading that your committee would refer to is the retho commission to the increases in teachers' salaries, and we recommend the institute to support most . heartily the statement that no one can justly ■say that the sums-now granted for these purposes are sufficient. ■ . . 4. Administration of Central Department.—Your committee strongly approves of the commission's recommendation that there should be simplification of some returns and abolition of others. Training Teachers and Staffing. • 5. Training of teachers.—All that your committee' has to say concerning this paragraph i 9 that, in our opinion, tho present shortngo of teachers is very largely duo. to the poor pro?pects of material reward for teachers as the years go on. G.' Staffing of ' schools.—Your , committee shares tho regret of tho commission that in our. larger schools aro 'still to bo.found classes of 60 or 70, or even more, in charge of one teacher, and recommends that Remit 39 be adopted. This remit provides that the .executive of the New Zealand Educational Institute bo urged to agitate for the introduction of tho additional staffing as provided for by regulation. . Hand Work Grants. 7. Manual and Technical Instruction.— Your committee is strongly against. the method of payment of capitation to handwork, classes, 1 and recommends that , tho present capitation system for manual work in primary schools should be discontinued in favour, of definite allowances for material, etc. ■ ' 8. Trend of Education.—Your committeo warmly approves of tlie remarks of the commission under this heading, and, in , view of these remarks, regrets that there should occur, in tho report mention of the abolition of district high schools, for, in these schools, the .bias' suggested by the commission might easily bo given.. , •9. Demilitarisation of Juhior ' Cadets.— Your.oommittee ithinks that the institute should express regret at the demilitarlta:tion of the junior cadets. ; ' ,10.,. Education of .Girls.'—Your- committee approves! generally of. the. commission's ~remarks on. tho education: of girls, and, approves of tho' principlo of differentiation in the courses of school work required of our senior boys and girls. ~ Teach Sex Physiology? ■ 11. Sex Physiology—The institute decided to approve tho recommendation of the commission up to a certain point as shown by this, extract from tho report:— "Evidence/has been given upon tho question of teaching sexual-physiology-to the older boys and girls in our primary and secondary, schools. The general opinion appears to be that something of tho kind should bo undertaken, but thcro is much diversity of view, as to when and _ by whom this instruction should bo given. The commission, agrees that advice should be imparted to all boys and girls at some timo before, they finally leave school—preferably' by parents.'!:, v , Freo Places. V , , 1 12. Scholarships and Freo Places.— Your committee thinks that the report of tho' commission under this heading should bo endorsed and that Remit 22 of 1912 bo reaffirmed. This remit is: "That the timo has arrived when .all international and education board\ junior scholarships should bo- abolished, and tho money so eaved should bp spent in paying tlio lodging, expenses of thoso children wlio are highest on tho list of the junior freo places examination and who require .to livo away from homo in order to attend a secondary school." 1 Buildings, \ \ "13.—School buildings and playgrounds:. Your committee regards this section ns one of the very most, important parts.of tho report, and advocates that the institute should strongly support the recommendations'of tho commission. . 11—Consolidation of schools: Your committee warmly approves of tho recommendation of tho commission as regards the consolidation of schoolß and is glad to find that the commission has stated tlio •position so strongly and so favourably. The instituto views with pleasure the action being taken ; by several boards to givo effect to those recommendations and hopes that local pressure by committees and others may not bo the means of' proventing further i action in this direction. _ ■ ' 15.—Private schools: Your committee thinks that the recommendations of the commission regarding private schools should be strongly endorsed by the institute. Children and Street Trading. 16—Children and street trading: Your committee is' greatly pleased that tho commission should have embodied in its' report reference to this subject and recommends tho instituto strongly support tho commission in directing attention to the evils referred to. In tho opinion of tho N.Z.E.I. the time has arrived when legislation should bo enacted in order to prevent tho evils referred to in paragraph 1, page 24, of the report of tho Education Commission. Recast the Syllabus? • Finally your committeo recommends: '.'That tho institute place on record its .conviction that the present syllabus has played o. groat part in tho eduoational progress of New Zealand, but wishes to poiht out that as it now about nine years since its introduction, and that tho Royal Commission on Education, tho Education Conference of 1910. and the Now Zealand Educational Institute have indicated that its complete Revision is nooossary. The institute therefore believes that, in the bos.t interests of education, tho revision should be no longer delayed.