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THE EDUCATION BILL

DISCUSSED BY THE HOUSE

RAISING OF COMPULSORY SCHOOL AGE

The Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Education) last night moved the committal of the Education Amendment Bill. Tho Minister's explanation of tho measuro has already bcj:n published.

The extension of the compulsory school age from 14 years to 15, said Mr. Parr, had the support of all thb education boards, of tho School Committees' Association, and of cvl.'ry eminent tcacher in the Dominion. New Zealand had lagged behind other countries in not making the reform earlier. Scotland had passed into law the,same provision as tlmt which th.> Ilill proposed for New Zealand. It was riot tafe for the country that boys and girls should leave school witli only n third or fourth standard education. A year's time was to be allowed before the' change operated. Thi> present system of appointment and promotion of teachers led to many injustices. What the teachers desired was a Dominion scheme of promotion. The Bill did not abolish the boards' powers of appointment, but the boards would be required to make appointments according to tho classification or grading list, wherever the applicants came from, unlpss in the opinion of the l>oard and the senior inspector another teacher than tine ono highest on tho grading list was most suitable for a special appointment. A vote of the teachers of the Dominion Fhowed a vi?ry large majorty favoured' the proposal contained in the Bill. Tho State should not subsidise in any way tho private denominational school, lost the upshot should be the wreck of ths national system. The State purse should bo open for tho benefit only of tho State 6cnools, though there was, of course, no objection to the attendance of children at private schoolß. Tho education boards and tho School Committees' Association urged that National Scholarships should not. be held in tho private schools, and they wero in fav,our of the clause preventing the holding of these scholarships in such schools. Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) protested aga'inst the lato appearance of the Bill. The Minister had told tho Houso in 1919 that lie had not time to legislate in that year, but would bring down a Bill in 1920. Now tho Bill had appeared in tlio last days of the' session, and members liad not a reasonable chance of considering it Mr. Sidey proceeded to object to "legislation by regulation," which he regarded as an outstanding feature of the Bill, and to the centralisation of the control of education. Jlr. A. S. Malcolm (Clutha) claimed to have recommended twelvo years ago tho adoption of the system of promotion upon national grading. A blot upon the education system, he said, was the payment of teachers upon average attendance, and that Wot was not removed by tho Bill. Tho occurrence of an epidemic among the school children placed teachers in a most unfortunate 'position, and ho hoped that the Minister would propose some remedy. Mr. 11. Masters (Stratford) said that he was extremely disappointed with the Bill. Ho had expected, from the Minister much greater reforms, in view of tlie statements that tho Minister had made public from timo to time. If, as the Minister had told a body connected with education, England and Scotland were far ahead of New Zealand in educational matters, how close was the Bill going to bring this country to tho standard attained in those other countries? The Bill consisted chiefly of machinery clauses, and contained hardly any Policy. It was being mshed through at the end of tho session and duo weight had not been attached to recommendations submitted to tho Education Committee of the House by the representative of tho School Committees' Association. Mr Masters appealed for the provision of better educational facilities for children in the backblocks. . Mr. J. A. Nash (Palmerston North) regarded the Bill as an honest attempt to" remove ' causes of discontent amongthe teachers. The Dominion scheme ot promotion, according to. grading, was most desirable, not only in the interests of the teachers, but in the interests of the ohildren, who must be considered fi Mr. A. M'Nicol (Pahiatua) referred to the criticisms directed against the Bill bv the member for Stratford._ What use, he asked, would there be m rushing on with advanced reforms befoie the new Director of Education had been appointed and had lirid time to investigate the educational systems of this and of other countries? Ho looked upon the Bill as a first step in educational procress in New Zealand. The Minister should have been frank, and should have made it clear in the Bill that the ultimate objcct was to, abolish boards and committees, said Mi. S G Smith (Tavanalct). 1 lie member considered that this aim was betrayed by the way in which tho Bill P r °P 03 <; d to whittle, down the powers of boaids and committees. ...» „„„ The debate on the motion for committal continued to a late hour.' Otieor two speakers adversely criticised the provision for the fixing of salaries by regulnThe' debate' w„ S proceeding when The Dominion went to press. Tho Bill was to put through all stages beforo the House rose. LEGISLATURE AMENDMENT Tlie legislature Amendment Bill, the provisions of which have already been fullv explained, was yesterday passed by the Upper House The Bill postpones tho coming into operation of the law under which Maon elections are to be conducted on the samo system as European elections. No rolls have yet been prepared under that law, and ttiero «s therefore no provision at present for the holding of a Maori by-election if such a bv-clection became The oi.lj other matter in the Bill is_ contained in a clauso removing a certain ambigmty in tho law relating to disqualification for a seat in Parliament.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/DOM19201104.2.53.6

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 34, 4 November 1920, Page 6

Word count
Tapeke kupu
965

THE EDUCATION BILL Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 34, 4 November 1920, Page 6

THE EDUCATION BILL Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 34, 4 November 1920, Page 6

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