SECONDARY SCHOOLS
COURSES OF INSTRUCTION
POLICY QUESTIONS
COUNCIL OF EDUCATION'S RECOMMENDATIONS
Tho Council of Education at its sittings on Monday and yesterday fully discussed tho question of the coursos of secondary instruction required to meet the needs of post primary school pupils. This involved the further question of the kinds of schools wherein such courses would bo provided, and tho standard of entrance required of pupils who entered upon these courses. The following are the recommeudationa of tho Council, fiually adopted after a very full consideration of the whole subject:— I, That our secondary education systom should provide the following coursos for those who can give tho whole day attendance at school :— 1. A genoral secondary course, with some degree of option: 3-5 years. 2. A vocational, course in agriculture: 3 yoars. 3. A vocational course in homo i-cience (for girls): 3 years. 4. A vocational course in commcrco: 3 years. 6. A mechanical ccurse, i.e., a vocational course in engineering and kindred branches.
11. That all secondary schools, whoHiu'r nigh schools or technical high schools, should provide for the courses of study already approved of, and that Wio present high schools and' technical high schools should ho gradually assimilated to tho kind of general secondary schools best suited to provide for such courses.
111. That a certificate of proficiency of a somewhat higher standard than at present,, taking, in particular, better oecurity for a good knowledge of English, 1)0 tho principal qualification for admission to a secondary course.
IV. That for those who are over 14, aiui who aro unable bo to qualify, provision be madd by moans of supplementary or continuation courses at technical schools or elsewhere, and that pending the adoption of a general computeory schonio, a small foe be chargoable, to be refunded to tho& who make satisfactory attendance.
A General Course Firsi. In considering the course of instruction, the Council was guided by tho [Kilicy tliat all children who show at least avorago ability in Standard VI snould bo eligible for somo form of tree secondary instruction. It was coin sidered that during at least tho first two years about three-fifths of tho secondary instruction should bo of a broadly educational character, suitable to all pupils on tho grounds of their common human interest and citizenBtup. This broad goncral education would form the basis of each of the live courses" described in Clauso I of the Council's recommendations. The remaining two-fifths of these five courses of instruo'.ion would be devoted, in the case of tho general course, to subjects suitable for those who wish to complete the. matriculation course o« a preparation for the professions. In tho courses Nos. 2-5 the remaining Dwo-fifths would be devotcdl to the special subjects therein named. This tvould enable the secondary pupils during the first two years to receive most of their instruction in common and in tho same school. In any case this has to be done in towns where there are fewer than about 200 secondary pupils.
No Different Types of Schools. After a full discussion tho Council .lecided that it was rot in tho interests of tho pupil, of education, of equality of opportunity, or of a true democracy, that pupils should bo segregated according to thv vocations m life which they might afterwards follow. Therefore, in Clause 11 the Council recommends that all secondary Schools should bo of similar character, uiid that tho present technical high schools should develop more on tho Humanistic sido, while the high schools uhould develop nioro on tho vocational bide, so that each meet the general needs of all classes of pupils, and chat in districts where only one school can bo maintained no class of pupil may be inadequately provided lor. The oxperionco of both England and the United States goes strongly in tho direction of avoidance of setting up a different typo of school for different types of instruction or for pupils destined for different occupations. Such segregation has produced distinctly bad rcsUits in German education, and in tho United States is regarded as inimical to tho succe.ss of true democracy. Clauso 111 advocates a slight stiffening of the' requirements for admission to the above secondary and Clauso IV indicates tho provision that should bo made for thoso pupils who bio not qualified to benefit by a course of secondary instruction. It may ho pointed out that the present Act mates provision for compulsory continuation education for those who liavo lel't school, but this has been unforced in only eight localities. With the adoption of a general compulsory scheme tliere will bo no need to cliargo a Tee. Tho continuation coursos are designed to do the most that can bo done for thoso'pupils who,_ while not being capable of undertaking a sec-' ondiiry course, can have their efficiency as workers and earners considerably lncreasod, while at tho sumo time some further broadening and developing influences may bo brought into their Uvea. Matters of Detail. Tho Secondary Education Committee submitted a lengthy report which was adopted by the Council of Education yesterday. Tho Committee had no recommendation to mako with reference to tho scnemes of control for tho Wellington Colleges and tho Wanganui Girls' College. The Minister is to bo advised to so amend tlie provisions for tho election of members of secondary school boards by parents of pupils as to provide for" the appointment of scrutineers by candidates and for the publication of the results by advertisement in local papers. Tho council does not consider that the establishment ol a separate district high school at AVaipukurau is the solution of _ the difficulty with regard to tho provision of secondary education for pupils of that district, but tho affording of railway facilities for the conveyance of tho pupils, to tho existing district high school at Waipawa less than five miles away.
inspection and Examinations. Tho Council- also adopted the following recommendations of the Committee with reference to tho inspection of secondary and technical high schools and t'o the examination for university entrance scholarships:— Inspection of Secondary and Technical High Schools: (a) That the Council is strongly of opinion that in ordei to ensuro tho satisfactory inspection of secondary schools, _ district high schools and technical high schools additional inspectors with special qualifications for tho various branches should bo appointed. (b) That a chief inspcctoi of secondary education should be appointed, with tho general control of the inspection referred to. University Entrance Scholarship: That, without prejudice to tho general question as to tho basis on which tho marks tor the various subjects in the nmrorsity entrance scholarship examination aro allotted, the marks for history and for each science in this oxam'ihation be raisod from 600 to 750.
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Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 6
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1,116SECONDARY SCHOOLS Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2875, 13 September 1916, Page 6
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