EDUCATION BOARDS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 1, 26 September 1919, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARDS

CONFERENCE CONTINUED MANY REMITS DISCUSSED The conference of education b'oaids resumed its deliberations yesterday morning under the presidency of Mr. T. Forsyth. Administration. • . A number of remits were tabled relative to administration. * Mr. G. London (Wellington) moved: . "'That, in view of tho important part ' that education must necessarily take in post-war reconstruction and restoration, it is essential that the curricula of the various '.educational'units' of the Dominion—university, secondary, technical, i and primary—be co-ordinated and placed under one control." ■ The .remit was carried unanimously, tout-a further v remit, moved by Mr. London, that in each education district, there be one administrative -body, charged with the control of education in tho secondary, the .tecbnicnir and the primary •schools, was lost on tho voices. . On the motion of Mr. F. Pirani (Waonganui) ,the conference affirmed:. "That the educational administration in. New Zealand should consist of an administrative council of education,'with the Min-. ister of Education '. as chairro.an, which, should have control of university, secondary, technical, • and primary education, • with boards and committees as administrative bodies; and that Parliament 6hould..allocate to'the council the amount annually voted for education, and the responsibility for tho expenditure should : rest oh that body." i> /^ .-.Mr. Pirani. also moved: "That conferences, of inspectors, instructors, teachers, . ■mid others engaged in educational administration be held annually in-,each education district to discuss subjects.connected with the actual work of teaching and ■ the welfare of ,thos9 . connected therewith." The remit wns adopted along with ft ! motion "That provision bo made for an annual conference of education ' board 'architects and Government building ex'perts. for the consideration of standard plans of, schools and teachers' residences, and that; the Government grants be based on the plans adopted by the conference." Establishment of Schools. Bearing on the establishment of schools, two remits were adopted as follow :— iIV "Thnt the four-mile limit for new schools hasnot worked satisfactorily, and thnt the Government lie therefore urged " to amend this clause of tho Act-in order (that undue hardship be'not placed' Struggling settlers in districts badly rnaded and difficult of access." - (2)'"That the . Education Department provice the ''jefist of secondary or vocational education for the children of .teachers located in isolated' districts affording no factlitiw for such education. . . ..' Staffing. The handicap, imposed on both teacherand children-alike in largo classes under the direction of only one, teacher was stressed' by several delegates.- Feeling reference 'was made to the grave disability in this connection, under which mi- - merous schools throughout the country 1 labour, and unanimously tho conference affirmed.- "That the maximum number of children under ono teacher be' forty on the roll, except in the case.of sole teacher schools, where the maximum number should be thirty-five." Another remit which was' adopted ! was. "That, in all calculations for staffing and salaries the average weekly roll be substituted for the average attendance." ' t It was moved by Mr. P. White (Tarafiaki): J'That Part 1 of the fifth schedule. Education Act, 1914, be revised in order to provide for the appointment of a male assistant in grade 3 schools in charge of a female teacher." After considerable discussion the remit was. withdrawn; in. favour of a motion . that.in the case of grade 3 schools the staffing be at the discretion' of, boards ot ■ ijjoation, which was adopted. Another 'remit carried recommended ; thnt in. addition to; the cost-of •■providing. ; N and equipping a schoolroom,.back-block'; settlers be not'charged with the-cost of providing free boaro.' and lodging, or be asked to provide salary for teachers-in. 'large of schools with an average at'idance of five. Teachers' Salaries, Tlie important question of teachers' salaries was responsible for a shoal of remits. - A; Wellington remit which was adopted was as follows: "That, with a view fo attracting a sufficient number of suitable candidates for the teaching profession, it Is imperative that the rate of remuneration be substantially increased, so as to make it at least equal to that of Civil. Servants of equal service, standing,' and_ responsibility." '■■'■". Bearing upon the same subject : a Hnwke's Bav delegate moved: "That, in determining the salaries of country teachers.- fair monetary allowance bs made for the disabilities of those living in the more remote and isolated districts." •.This remit wns also carried. A number of other remits relative to salaries and allowances were discussed, and recommendations-carried'urging the necessity of generally, increasing the remuneration. With| the object; of_ raising the status of the profession and inducing' , the best class of men to enter its- ranks. There was a consensus ofg. opinion .that the salaries wero in most cases wholly inadeaunte. The desirableness of encournging married men to settle down in tbe profession was also' mentioned: • The meagre salaries paid to the inspectorate were also tho subject of comment, it being contended that there was not enousrh difference between the salaries of headmasters and inspectors, dud that there should be.at'least .£l5O difference between tho two in favour of the inspectors. A recommendation was tabled that representations' be made that teachers be paid cn'the basis of efficiency. In support of:the'remit it was pointed put that • the only way to secure the best men for the •profession was to pay them salaries commensurate with their ability/ In opposition to the proposal, stress was laid by several speakers on the difficulty under tbe present system of determining teachers' relative efficiency. The remit , was carried on a division by a large majority. '•/■ Without discussion it was decided that in the case of teachers on sick leave the Government be recommended, to provide full pay for the total period of absence ' on the scale of the Public Service. Another recommendation adopted Was , that on retirement, teachers be granted ' leave of absence as follows:—After ten A years' service, one month on full pay; after fifteen years two months' pay;'after twenty years three months' pay.' , Training of Teachers. With regard to the training.of teachers the conference affirmed without discussion: "That, in order to encourage high professional attainment, the University of New Zealand include education as a ' subject for honours." The conference also recommended: v | n rhat/in the interests of the children, it..is essential that all primary, second- / a'ry, and technical teachers undergo' a ■thorough course of training, and to this end there be provided special training facilities." . . The need for a wider practical training of student teachers was discussed at considerable length, and ultimately it was decided to recommend that the period of studentship be extended for at least.six months, to permit of every trainee spending the additional time in selected schools outside training colleges. ■ Three other remits were carried. relative to the same subject, as follow:— "(1) That properly-equipped hostels for training college studonts be provided by the Department." (2) ''That the staffs of training colleges be required to spend a certain, amount of time annually in appfovod_ schools." (3) "That, before undertaking the charge of a sole-teacher school, inexperienced teachers bo given a short neriod of training iii a school to be selected by an inspector, and that they be paid boarding allowance during such period." Accommodation. Quite a number of remits were adopted under the heading of accommodation, urging that the minimum, classroom space per child on the roll be 12 square feet: that one classroom be provided for each a'dult teacher; that in each school of urado 4. and ■ upwards, a .te-wherV room

and a children's cloak-room be provided: that in each school of grade 0 and upwards an oihco fo-.' the infant, mistress be provided. , Grants, Bearing upon grants, various remits Were adopted- relative • to. providing in the case of new primary schools site of four acres in area in case of town ecluiols. and! five acres for ■ country schools.' urging that'the present mainlenance urnnt was entirely inadequate, suggesting that the question ' of providing teacher's residences, in country districts be considered, and generally traversing the'system'of Departmental grants with a view, to its revision.. . Before adjourning till this morning, when its deliberations-will be continued, it was resolved to ask members of Parliament, to meet representatives of Hm . conference at o.3o'o'clock this morning to discuss the Education Bill, now before the House: