Educational Changes.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 March 1922, Page 1

Educational Changes.

TbY TET/EOIIAPH —PER PRESS ASSOCIATION"! WELLINGTON, March lV Hon. O. J. Parr is calling fo r the end of the month a private conference educational heads to initiate what m termed a “very complete revolution in the primary and post-primary educational system of the Dominion. Ex tension of school ages is hinted at. A plan to hold children till 18 at schools is on the stocks. Those to advise Mr Parr include Mr F. Milner, of Waitaki High School, who has recently visited the United States to study the junior educational institutions; Mr J. W. Tibbs,. AT.A. the veteran secondary educationalist or Auckland; Mr T. U. Wells, who represented the Department of 'Education and the New Zealand Teachers’ Institute at an important education conference in Toronto; Mr J. H. Howell, Headmaster of the Wellington Technical School; Miss M. VGibson headmistress of the Christchurch ’ Girls’ High School. The Minister will have with him his departmental head, Mr J. Caughley, M.A. and Messrs J. Drummond (chief inspector of secondary schools), W. S. Bn Trobe (chief inspector of technical schools), and T. B. Straughon, chief inspector of primary schools). Mr Parr reckons the elementary course should be stopped earlier, ana says educationalists of note advocate cutting down the primary course to the age of 12, at Standard V, an<J then beginning the age of adolescence with a different course of instruction. He hopes to begin experiments of a new scheme next year. The syllabus is to be recast, and be purely elementary to the age of 12. After that there will he opportunities for the child to follow its bias. There is to be a commercial course, another for professions, and a third for agriculture. Regard will be had for New Zealand conditions. Conferences will precede this big f?h&»g e .