NEW EDUCATION BILL.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2269, 15 August 1870, Page 2

NEW EDUCATION BILL.

The following heads of a New Education Bill, of which notice has been given by Mr, Richmond, is taken from the order paper of August 9 : 1. Existing machinery and schools not to be interfered with, except by inspection on behalf of the colony when any public funds whatever are employed as endowments or subsidies. 2. The Council of the New Zealand University to be a Council ft r Public Education. 3. Subject to the approval of the Governor, the Council for Education to appoint one or more inspectors to visit all parts < f the colony, to inspect all public and all subsidised schools, and report periodically on the state of education in each locality. 4. On the report of an inspector, or on the representation of one-fifth of the adult inhabitants of any district, showing it to be deficient in elementary schools, the Ghver*. nor to have power to bring the district the operation of, the Act. 5. Districts defined, under any local' Act ' or Ordinance to be employed for the pur?', poses of the Act. When no Education.-1, districts exist, Governor to define them if requir d, using, as far as convenient, exist; ing political or municipal divisions; 6. In every district under the Act, the householders to elect a school committee, who shall have management of the publ q schools. 7. Schools established or subsidised under the Act to be secular, but schoolrooms to be available for religious teaching at boitis appointed by the committees, not being echoed hours. 8. Schools, established or subsidised under the Act to be open to all children living in the district, of ages, between five and fourteen years, who have been vaccinated, and who shall pay the fees appointed by the committee or managers, 9. Committee to have power to give free admission to the children of necessitous parents. 10. Rates, not exceeding • in the pound on annual value of property to be levied in every district brought under the Act, for the support of the elementary schools. 11. Gove nor to subsidise public schools out of consolidated revenue, by capitation grants on the average attendance and on the number of scholars certified by the Inspector to have been effectively taught. 12. Capitation grattt oli average attendance in no case to exceed one-half the total receipts from rates and school fees. 13. Governor to have power, on recommendation of Council of Education, to advance money out of consolidated revenue to school committees, on the security tif the rates for the purpose of electing school buildings; and in oases of necessity, to subsidise the building fundi 14. When householders fail to elect committee, or committee fails to establish school, Council of Education to have power to appoint a local commissioner, who shall have all the powers of a committee, and may receive rates, subsidies,, and loans oi-money in their name, until there shall be a committee appointed and ready to act. As to existing school or schools voluc* tarily established hereafter:— . 15. Governor to have power to subsidise denominational aud other on reepm* mendation of Council of ; Education, and subject to a strict “conscience clause, 1* Every school so subsidised to receive inspection as to secular instruction,- anddo receive. a limited number of free pupils on order of School Committee, or if none, of Resident Magistrate. As to teachers : i ! 16. • Council of Education to provide central aud local examinations, fop the issue qf first ami second class certificates respectively. Existing local Boards and inspectors to be eligible for such duty under the Act. 17. On recommendation of the Council of Education, Governor to make special grants in augmentation of salary to teachers certified as especially successful. 18. Special scholarships, available at such Colleges as the Council of Education' may approve, to be endowed for the benefit of teachers certified as especially successful or meritorious. As to Model, Training, and Superior Schools:— 19. ‘One hr model "aud training £ schools to be established under the control i.-, . ■ rvii. ./

of the Council of, Education. Existing schools eligible to he adopted for these purposes with consent of managers. 20. to have power to subsidise grammar schools at such places as may be recommended by the Council of Education, and to grant aid to pupils from elementary schools to attend at such grammar schools. . 21. Grammar schools to bo subsidised in respect of the number of pupils removed from elementary schools on certificates of proficiency, and to be otherwise maintained by the fees of ordinary pupils. 22. Governor to have power to subsidise building fund of grammar schools on recommendation of Council of Education. General as to Council of Public Education : 23. Colonial Secretary to be Minister for Education, and ex offldo member of Council. ; 2-1. Council of Education to have power to make regulations for the conduct of examinations, the management of schools, the guidance of inspectors, and generally for carrying out the duties imposed upon them under the Act. As to endowments in land and other property : 25. Governor to have power to reserve and grant any waste lands of the Crown for school sites ; also, to grant endowments out of land iu the administration of the Colonial Government. 26. All grants of land under powers of the Act, and all endowments public or private for the purposes of the Act, to bo vested in Council of Public Educa l ion. 27. School committees to manage reserves in their district, subject to instructions from Council of Education.