The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22nd, 1921. EDUCATION NEEDS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 June 1921, Page 2

The Guardian AND EVENING STAR, With which is incorporated “ The West Coast Times.” WEDNESDAY, JUNE 22nd, 1921. EDUCATION NEEDS.

I'll ky were meeting in a time of finaneial stress, stated the Hon. C. J. Parr (.Miniser for Kducaion), speaking lit the first- session of the new Council of Education, held at Wellington last week, and education was necessarily limited by the finances available. But during the past twelve months, he claimed much had been achieved by the department. Anomalies bad been removed and provision had been made lor greater efficiency. Since the Government was authorised to borrow £3,(100,000 for educational purposes a year had passed, and during that year a total sum of £sdo,‘J92 had been spent on schools and buildings. In addition schools and buildings. In addition, there were commitments totalling £300,000. about one-half of which was for primary schools. Most of the work involved in the £300.000 was proceeding.. '['here had !>een an unprecedented expenditure on education —a total of nearly £1,000.000 in eighteen months. He thought it was satisfactory to know that substantial progress bad been made in keeping with the finance ot the Government. Now. however, the Government had called a halt, the department had to husband i(fc resources, and it was obvious that the expenditure must he confined to primary education, which must receive preference, that would be the policy of the department during the coming months. There would lie no money for new enterprises

none for the higher branches of education, as far ns the extension of the present buildings was concerned. lie was quite satisfied with the manner in which his department had been treated by flic Minister for Finance, and if Mr Massey was able to negotiate a small loan while lie was in London, he hoped that the needs of the Education would not he forgotten. Edmnerating the reforms carried out by his department during the past year, Mr Parr referred in the establishment for the first time

of. a Dominion system of classification airl salaries of secondary school tench‘M'S l nid of staffing the secondary Schools.

This system had superseded the old system of payments by capitation and re-

moved the anomalies that existed in the i salaries of these teachers, consequent

on the existence of djfferent scales ttn- ! dor each hoard. The new system also

i gave teachers duly classified the chance of appointment in any school in N* - Zealand. Connected with the above there had been a very substantial increase in the salaries of secondary school teachers. Tit like manner and wilh the same results the scales of staffing and the salaries for all teachers of technical and manual training classes had for the first time been placed on a uniform Dominion basis, independent of capitation rates, and providing substantial increases to salaries. A greatly improved scales of staffing and salaries for primary and native school teachers had also been provided under which the increases were the largest that had vet been made in any year. Enclosed in this scheme there were the following reforms:—(a) Better provision for teachers in household schools in the far hack districts; (b) special increases to the salaries of teachers in country schools; (t-> increased house or married allowances; (d) recognition by increase of "salary of the work of infant mistresses and senior women assistants; (e) substantial increases to the allowances to entrants to the teaching profession, in order to secure a staff sufficient to replace uneertifieated teachers and to reduce the size of classes in public schools; (f) arrangements made and grants secured for the extension of the training college buildings and for increases to staffs of these colleges. There were now at least KMK) students in training as compared with about 100 •n 1913. A large increase had been made in the number of pupil teachers, probationers and training college students, ■iml a reduction in size of classes was in prospect. He hoped that hv 1923 there would b*’ a teacher for every 35 :o -IP punils. \ system of provisional training in model country school-, for untrained teachers pending an increase in the supply of certificated teachers had been commenced. The total increase to salaries of teachers referred to affine amounted for the year to £300,000. There*had also been a substantial increase in the salaries of school inspectors of all grades, and an increase in the number on the staff. In addition, a system of training for secondary and technical school teachers had been established. The system of grading of orimary school teachers had been improved; and a Dominion system of appointment of primary school teachers established whereby all positions in New calami were open to all teachers according to their classification. The school medical service had been extended and the number of school medical officers and school nurses increased; while a system providing for the dental treatment of school ’children and.the training of special dental officers for Ibis work had been brought into force. Through a joint conference with the Agricultural Department and the Education Department an arrangement had been made to secure a 1 letter co-ordi-nation of effort in connection with training in agriculture. Provision had also been made for the extension of the compulsory school ago to fifteen years, and for adequate courses of instruction for the pupils concerned. Increases had been made in the grants for the incidental expenses of school committees. The system of probation for the treatment of young people who become ,cards of the State, or who have committed minor offences, hud been extended ; and the Minister had convened a number of important conferences for the discussion of important questions under consideration, such as investigation into tlu* retardation problem, a provisional arrangement for the training of secondary teachers, and the abolition of the capitation system in technical and secondary schools.