EXTENDING THE SCHOOL AGE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 125, 20 February 1919, Page 6

EXTENDING THE SCHOOL AGE

f COMPULSORY CONTINUATION CLASSES

NEW REGULATIONS

: A memorandum from the Superini tendent of Technical Education (Mr. W. i ' S;: La Trobe) was before the Wellington i Education Board yesterday. The SuperV intendent said that the Department proi posed to reissue by Order-ih-Council the ' regulations regarding compulsory atI tendance at technical and continuation i classes made by education boards, and iapproved by the Minister for Lducation ! t for certain school districts. In revising I the various sets of regulations it had i been considered advisable to recast regui . iatiou 2, specifying those persons ex- ■ enipted by regulation as follows i "The preceding regulations shall not 1 apply to any young person who (a) is i shown to the satisfaction of the. controlling .authority of the technical school or ■' classes to bo under full time instruci tion in a public school, secondary school, j : technical'high, school, or other registered <■' school; or (b) is shown to the satisfac- ! tion of -the controlling authority to bo i . under suitable and regular instruction | elsewhere for a number of hours in each i year, being not less than the number of i hours during, which he would otherwise ! be, required l to attend the continuation i ' on technical classes; or (c).has gained an 1 . intermediate certificate or obtained a | "lalification .that is recognised by the Minister for Education a* equivalent I'-' thereto; (d) holds a certiiicato of exI cmption under regulation 3." |; It had been deemed necessary to ini, elude specific instructions as to courses, j in regulation 4, which was 'recast as fol- ' lows:— ii "The course of instruction shall be j determined by the director of the tech- ! meal school or classes us far as, pos- . - Bible in. accordance with the individual i nesds of the pupil, ■with due Tegard to j the wishes of parents, guardians, or emi ployers of the pupils and to the crafts ! and industries practised in the district ! (including agriculture if practised and [ the domestic arts), and shall in all cases ' include instruction in English, includ- ; . iris' and civics, and in personal [ hj-gi } and first aid, and. where prac- ■ ticsV., in the case of girls, instruction in heme nursing. Attention must <> 1 '--o | ' be, given to physical training where this j is.not otherwise provided for." j The Superintendent asked for inforrua-, i ■ tion as to the enforcement of compulsory 1 attendance in the schools of the Weli•' lirfrton district. | • |Mr. Moss said that it would be diffi- !.. cult to put the regulations into-opera-I . tion in the country,. where there was no i provision for instruction. Great good i . should be effected in the centres. Child- , ren would cease their education gradually and receive instruction at tho time when they needed it most. , 'Mr. Penney said, there were nianv I children in' Bl?nhoim who would' profit iby .such instruction, but facilities and teachers were both.lacking. The secretary of the boafd (Mr. Stew, art). said that it was »pen to any. district to 'establish .classes in approved subjects, .which .would earn capitation. " Mr. Penney remarked that he thought attendance should be compulsory. Con- ; tiimaticn classes would, not be a success on a voluntary basis. • ...-Mr. .Bishw'brth .'.thought that the best prospect of success lay in making the work interesting to . the young people. Mr. Hogg said he did not like the word compulsion. Young people were entitled to-their liberty during the leisure hours and the classes would not succeed if they became drudgery. .After some further discussion' the board decided to communicate with the school committees on the subject.'