UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 9, 26 January 1937, Page 8

UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

-Preas Association.)

Senate's Views on Atmore Report REORGANISATION PLAN

.By Telegraph-

- AUCKLAND, Jan. 25. At the request of the present Parliament ary Education Committee tho New Zealand University Senate reviewed i ecommendations affecting university education contained in a report made by the Recess Education Committee, the "Atmore Committee,'' ia* 1930 upon - educational reorganisation in New Zealand. The vice-chancellor, Professor T. A. Hunter, ' explained that as the present Government regarded the Atmore report as the stai'ting point of a reorganisation of the education system,. the senate had been asked to state whether it was for or against various proposals affecting university education. ' The recommendationg were deaiq with seriatim:— , . (1) That funds. now utilised for the provision of national and university entrance scholarships be used for maintenance, bursaries to be awarded tadeserving pupilst not .on externai competitive examinations but on consideration of individual cases recommended, by the senior inspector or superintendent of each education district — It was resolved to disapprove of the recommendation and to state that the senate, while believing provision should be made by means of bursaries to ensure full training of those who might become leaders of the nation in, whatever section of the community they might be found, was convinced that the abolition of the entrance echolarship system was not in the national interest. vars1ty in each island. (2) and (4). That the University of New Zealand be disestablished, and two universities, one in each island, be created embracing university, agricultural and training colleg^s and research institutions.— It was resolved te state that the senate did not approve the proposal,. and iu view of the history and growth of the university sya» tem in New, Zealand, the most effebtive and economical line of further development was towards specialisatioe in existing university institutions. (3) That n order to eusure the fullest co-operation between teaching and research institutions within each university, the Departments of Education and Scientific and Industrial Research be placed under the same Ministerial control. — It was decided to state the senate's opinion that scientifio end industrial research, which touched all phases of national life, should not be intimately associated with e Goverhment department. (5) and (6). That revenues from public educational endowments be investigated and the whole matter dealt with on a national basis. — It was resolved to approve the proposal and to express the opinion that univfersity oollegee should be adequately endowed. (7) That thero be a uniform scale of etaffing and salaries for aU univeiw sity institutions and that all salanee of teaching staffa be paid by the Government direct. — It was decided te disapprove of the proposal. MATRICULATION BY ACCREDITING. Regarding the proposal for matriculation by accreditiug from approved . secondary schools on an internal examination only, it was resolved to state that the matter was now being investigated, but in the present circumstano es the best policy was to develop the school leaving examination so that, iu a few years, the University Entrance Examination would be taken only by, those who desired to enter the university The Parliamentary Recess Education Committee recommendations included the following: — That the post-primary school course end at 11 plus or after passing Standard IV.; that intermediate classes form part of the education sysf em j that the scholarship eystem was no longer necessary j that the curricula of all schools should include adequate practical instruction in agriculture and allied subjects, that unification of control of the existing primary, secondary 1 and technical education in New Zealand was desirable; that a single specialist inspectorate be organised ; that there be further consolidation of schools and classes; that the New Zealand University be disestablished ; that * the training colleges be handed ever to the control of the college uuthorities : that outside the four centres, tho district education boards be the conrolling authorities for all f orms of postsecondary as well as secondary education, including higiher technical ciassea and 'the training of apprentices; that the school dental service be further extended to the country districts; that homework in primary schools was not necessary; that a scheme of reductiou of classes to a maximum of 35 withiu five years, be worked out.