EDUCATION POLICY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2628, 25 November 1915, Page 9

EDUCATION POLICY

RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE

COUNCIL

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

. A number of questions relating to education policy and administration woro submitted to -the Council ; of Education at its meeting last week by tile Minister. The result of the council's deliberations on these subjects, as embodied in resolutions passed,'was communicated yesterday by tho Hon. J. A. flanan;

Scholarships. The council was asked for an opinion as to tho classes i of schools at which scholarships should be held. On this point tho following resolution was passed: "That the Council of' Education advise tho Minister that.in the opinion of the council national scholarships should be tenable only at secondary and endowed schools as denned by the Act, district high schools, and technical high schools." In arriving at this decision tho council was guided partly by the principle that in a country like New Zealand, where the population is small, no encouragement should bo given to the establishment of a multiplicity of schools.of secondary instruction. -, Further, it w;as held that where directly or indirectly a school has been established m of a grant , from the Crown, an obligation was imposed on the grantees to provide where required necessary public facilities which should be available for scholarship holders as well as for other duly qualified pupils. The council passed the following resolution regarding the suggested exclusion of certain pupils from competition for scholarships:.. "That those'already in receipt of free education in secondary schools, district high schools, and technical high schools be not excluded from candidature for- junior national scholarships.' The reasons advanced against the exclusion of these candidates were: (1) National scholarships are no longer competitive, being awarded to all candidates who have qualified by reaching the regular standard fixed beforphand. The granting of scholarships to'candidates from secondary schools does not, therefore-, debar primary school candidates from gaining scholarships. (2) Many, of the brightest children gain certificates of proficiency and pass into secondary schools while still under thirteen yearsof age, and it would bo unjust and inexpedient to exclude thorn from the engagement, of scholarships. (3) It would, besides, be highly undesirable to retain exceptionally promising children in the primary schools beyond tho age at which their secondary education should be begun. On the question of amendments to the general scheme of national scholarships the council had no recommendation 'to make, being of opinion that the scheme as instituted was entitled to a fair trial. It was, however, to bo gathered from tfio discussion that the council favoured the continuance of the small money grants to town scholars, instances being mentioned in which the fact that the parent had to pay for books had_ led to the withdrawal of very promising pupils from secondary schools. The proposal that the scholarship sohomG be amended to provide for extension on tho agricultural, industrial, and domestic side was referred to the Agriculture Committee for its consideration, in consultation with the' committee on tho education of girls. Free places. The Department has frequently been urged by those interested in. the technical . schools to extend tho free-place system in the case of technical schools to include pupils with lower qualifications than S6 certificates of proficiency. On this matter the council passed ths following resolution:—"That in regard to freo places at technical schools, held by those who are employed during the day in districts where tho compulsory, clausesof tho Act are not in force, free places in their present form bd abolished; that the fees be reduced to not more than 30s. per annum for a full course, and that bonuses equal to the fees be paid to those who make satisfactory attendances at approved schools; and, further, that in districts where the compulsory clauses are 1 adopted, all fees should he abolished, and that in the ■last-named districts employers should bo required to give timo off equivalent to one-half day a week."

The following motion proposing to ro- . quire that some guarantee > that. freo pupils should remain two "years at a secondary school was lost by. votes to 5: ''That the council recommends that the parents of a pupil who is granted a,'junior free placo in a secondary 6chool bo required to give a guarantee that the pupil will remain at the school for at least two years unless speoial circumstances, to be approved by the Board cl Governors, should arise, and that in' any case when the pupil is removed before the end of two years tho parents shall pay the fees charged to' the' ordinary paying pupil for tho time spent' at school." On this matter the majority were of the opinion that there'would be great difficulty in collecting fees after a pupil had left,, that to insist on a deposit beforehand . would inflict hardship on children of poor parents, who would not be in a position to find the money, and that secondary school boards; which would have power to remit the penalty in cases where there were reasonable grounds for the withdrawal of pupils, would have a difficult task to,administer fairly the provision. Further, it was pointed out that the average period of attendance Sad materially increased since the free place sy6tem had been m operation, being now three years one month in the case of boys, as against two years one month in IIJO3. The council passed the following resolution unanimously:—"That free places be not tenable . at private schools." '

Concerning secondary school "leaving certificates," the. following resolution was passed:—"That secondary school certificates should be obtainable at all registered secondary" schools, if the conditions are complied with, and that the Minister be- adviced to have the Act amended accordingly." Medical Inspection. Several resolutions were passed relating to medical inspection:— "That, if possible, in view of the present difficulty, occasioned by the war, in obtaining permanent medical inspectors for schools, temporary ments be made with local medical practitioner for the : medical inspection of schools in small country and outlying districts." "That the Minister be advised that in view of existing circumstances for the present tho attention of medical inspectors he specially directed to cases of special defects." "That medical inspectors and physical instructors be brought into closer cooperation with a view of dealing with the romedying of physical defects through a course of physical training where such is deemed possible."

"That the question of utilising the services of trained nurses in association with medical inspectors, together with any other matters, not specially dealt with, relating to tho direction and extension of medical inspection be referred to tho recess committee already set up to.deal with such matters."