AN OVERHAUL

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 December 1924, Page 5

AN OVERHAUL

SECONDARY EDUCATION. EXPERT’S INVESTIGATIONS. : INTO DOMINION METHODS. ... (By Telegraph-Special to the Star.) [The question as to whether children in New Zealand are taught many subjects, when attending secondary schools, that are absolutely useless to them in their future careers, has often been discussed. The Minister of Education - appears to have taken cognisance ; of the opinions of many education- > alists in this respect, and a real effort will be made to alter the ' system.] WELLINGTON, Dec. 11. . The Minister of Education, speaking at Gisborne to-day, announced that Frank Tate, M.A., Director of Education in Victoria, lias consented to. visit New Zealand for a month to advise the education authorities regarding. secondary education. This investigation is due to the fact that the Minister is anxious to bring post-primary education facilities more into line with the actual needs of the community. One way. in which this is being done is by intermediate high schools, several of which have been established giving children from the primary schools an opportunity to complete 'their education to a useful point, without carrying out an extensive secondary school course, portions of which they do not need in their future careers. Mr Tate will be asked to report on this phase of New Zealand’s education activities, also on the general course followed in secondary schools, its suitability for the majority of pupils, and generally whether we are working on sound lines in the light of Mr Tate’s wide experience. Another important point on which he will he asked to express an opinion is whether the requirements of the matriculation examination, set' by a bodyoutside those controlling secondary schools,, should be allowed in future to dominate New Zealand’s secondary education system. , Mr Tate is an acknowledged authority op post primary education, and gave the principal paper on the subject at the last Imperial Education Conference in London; Before returning to Victoria he spent five weeks investigating Denmark’s system of agricultural education, in which he is keenly interested. His advise on this subject will be secured by the Government,, which lias promised, to overhaul the system with a view to coordinating the educational work of the Agricultural Department with the Education Department. The Victorian Director of Education will visit a large number of New Zealand’s high schools and technical schools, accompanied by Mr J. Caughley, the New Zealand Director of Education-.