SCHOOL PROBLEMS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2914, 28 October 1916, Page 7

SCHOOL PROBLEMS

AND WAR-TIME ECONOMY

DISCUSSED BY TEACHERS

A meeting of the Wellington branch of tho New Zealand Education Institute was held last night, Mr. Xi. H. Ballachey presided. The principal business of the meeting was to consider certain proposals regarding tho war legislation amending tho Education Act with a view of sending them forward as remits to the annual motting of the. N.Z.E.I. the The questions raised had to do with the powers conferred upon tho .Minister, to authorise a reduction in tho stalls of schools,' especially when the average attendance is not well above the minimum of the grade of tho school. The proposals were discussed at con- I siderablo length. It was generally admitted that teachers must bo prepared to bear an extra burden on account of the number of men of the profession having gone on active service. It was evident, however, that they viewed with sorno suspicion tho power taken by the Minister to uso the pruning knife to reduce stafts. Teacher could carry an overload, but there was still a limit which could not with safety bo exceeded, and thero certainly was a danger, it was contended, that if stafts were reduced, and inexperienced teachers substituted for experienced ones, tho responsible teachers would be sadly overworked. There was general condemnation) alsoof tho Departmental regulation suspending the previous rule defining the floor spaco limit per pupils. .It was urged with emphasis that this could not be done without endangering tha health of children. Mr. H A. Parkinson moved:, hoeing that tbo real life of the nation depends upon tho health and education of'its people, this institute deeply regrets tho retrograde tendency exhibited in the education section ot tho Wa-i Legislation Amendment Act, and draws tho attention of the Minister to tho dangers to bo feared from putting into force his powers for the reduction of staffs.". . ... The motion was carried. The amendment of the regulations providing for mandatory reduction or staffs consequent urjon a fall in attendance for even as short a period as one quarter was next under discussion. It was urged that bad weather or an outbreak of measles could easily reduce the attendance below the minimum, and that the regulation would bo vory mischievous in operation, ine following remit was approved:— "That tho war amendment to clause 2 of tho regulations relating to- tho reduction of staffs of schools through falling .attendance is far too drastic, and should be immediately revoked or amendod." ~ . The new regulations governing tlio issuing of nroficioncy and competency certificates were also discussed. ino object of these regulations is to make the proficiency standard higher, and it was contended that it was unwise, as woll as unfair, to introduce a changeof this kind on the evo of tho annual examinations without notice. One momber of the branch spoke of a report that tho inspectors had been instructed that not moro than' 60 per cent of the pupils sitting for tho examination were to be allowed to gain proficiency certificates. There seemed to be no general objection to the raising of tho proficiency certificate requirements. Indeed, Miss Rowley expressed the opinion that tho country was uot getting a very good returuior the money spent on secondary school instruction to a very large number of pupils, and the opinion seemed to ho oiidorsed by tho meeting. Sho advocated a limitation of the number of children going forward to secondary schools, and suggested' that there ought to bo much better facilities offered for vocational instruction. The following resolution was agreed to: "That this institute wishes to express its unanimous disapproval of the introduction of any regulations aifecting tho examinations for proficiency and competency certificates at any time other than the beginning of the year."