Council of Education

Hokitika Guardian, 17 June 1921, Page 2

Council of Education

FIRST SESSION

WELLINGTON, June 15 The first session of the new Council of Education opened to-day. The Hon C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, stated that* during the past eiglieen months an unprecedented amount had been spent on education, the total being close on L 1,000,000. Owing to financial stress the Government had called a halt. As' far as new buildings were concerned, the policy of the Department would be to give preference to primary schools. He expressed the opinion that the new grading and classification scheme for primary, secondary and technical teachers would be acceptable to the great majority of teachers. The time had arrived when they must make a careful study of the post primary course and decide whether it was advisable to carry on along the present lines. Mr J. Caughley, Director of Education, appealed to the Council to devote a great deal of attention to the principles upon which the primary and postprimary courses of instruction should be based. New Zealand had taken up a great responsibility when it decided in favour of.free secondary education. They had gone along other paths \i liich might lead to dangerous ground, and the time had now arrived when should take stock to see what was the real purpose of tile post-primary course. The Council should now carefully consider the whole course of instruction which the child shall receive from the age of five upwards, and he hoped the Council would be able to systematise its discussion to a greater extent than it had done in the past. He would like to see the conference devote a whole, day to the discussion of the. courses of instruction.