POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 26 September 1925, Page 4

POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION.

MR TATE'S REPORT. MAXY RECOMMEXRATIONS. WEELIXOTOX, September 23. Mr Frank Tate, Director of Education in Victoria, who was a member ol the Cniversity Commission, at the request of the Minister ot education, has furnished a report on post-primary edu-

cation in Xew Zealand. He pays a liipli tribute to the quality of members of the various conferences, and says the Dominion is fortunate in possessing a team of administrators, teachers and lay povernors, who are so keen and well informed. He approves of the free place system, luu emphasises the need for provision of alternative courses id instruction to meet the needs of various tvpcs ol pupils. He i'(insiders the priiiia r\ school course should cm! at twelve years ol ape at latest, otherwise manv who enter secondary schools fail to receive adequate benefit. He stresses the need lor fuller development ol technical education and special trnininp lor secondare school teachers, with specialised traininp for technical school teachers. I'pon tbe subject of ms I ricuia t ion exaniinat ions Mr late s views are practically the same as those expressed in the ITiiversity (Tinmiission’s report already published. lie coinii’.'Mits favourably on tbe junior hiph school system. which lie describes as a notable advance. He recommends special provision lor pupils who enter at twelve and only desire to remain three years in a special section. On technical education lie notes a teudenev in New Zealand Io apply this name to school work which does not uteri I it. He suppests a clear distinction between technical work piven Io pupils over sixteen and that to those between twelve and fifteen. The report endorses the opinion generally held elsewhere that it is advisable to postpone entrance to industry until sixteen, with preparatory traininp at a junior or ordinary technical hiph school. A number of siippestions arc ulfered lor improvement and development of the technical school system.

In conclusion Mr Tate says that Xew Zealand is faced with similar problems as elsewhere, and they will take years of experiment to solve. He lias seen much in Xew Zealand in method and nrpanisalinn he would like to transplant into Victoria, tlmupli lie lias sitppested the adoption here ol several valuable and well throupb-oiil projects already established there. X'ew Zealand has made a line bepiuninp in providinp ion tin tied education lor all. and no part of the Empire lias a "renter chance lo produce a better type of ciliMr Tale s I'eeoiniiieiidat mils summarised ai tlie eoncliision of the report are as follows:

I. -Thai, primary education as such be ended at about tile ape of twelve al Ibe eoniplet ion of Standard I \ . i -That qualified pupils be cnrmiraped to enter secondary schools at this sfape for lull secondary courses. -That specialised courses of three vein's' duration bn provided lot' t hose pupils who are likely to leave sebeoi at [ lil teen at latest. ! I. That subject to Hie provision ol suitable stall's of teachers the junior hiph '■ef:ool be extended. o. That import anily be taken whole suitable bnildinps exist to establish post-primary schools of a special i haracter i.e. junior technical m-1m.i0!.-. schools ol domes fie art--. work. These schools tniphi lie established by a new riTanpi'iiuun oi' the preseit t It ft !i and .sixth standards in cite schools.

ti. I'hat lee!,nical bipfi -('bools coneon! rate so as to provide a sound basis for hiphor technical education and trade instruction. Thai those school and siioh junior technical schools as may lie established be worked in close eo opera I ion with a leohnionl ybool. I.—'l’bat a sv stiiii of public ( xanii till ! :(ia cot i'ri ll '. illll'i'i'ent 1 v pc: of v eal's’ duration respect i vole 1... established by Dll' I'nivelsity to supersede the present matriculation examination S. -That tie Cniversity be asked to appoint a Schools Hoard on the lines of Ilm '"eh, m | s r ; ,;, n | n| Meibom n - Fniversilv to ariani'e I«*r such exaininations under the Senate, and l!:at on a iiv such board teachers rf secon da r\ sil.-'"|s l«. adeq ua t'■! \ liq •resnli 1

0. - Thai in the ei'iidin't of cxaniiluitiniis (be nvtbod adopted for the Scottish iiiteriuediale and leaviltp eertelieates lie as nearly as praclicable adopled. e nceiallv in repaid to reqllh'in..' ( XaUlilii'i's |o take illio eoilsideration the -eliool record ol I lie can didale. IL. That the examination provide for oral mid diitation h-si in modern Imieiiapes. inspect ion of '.ehool laboratories and of .student.-' laboratory note Ixioks in .•(•ience, mid field excitision notebjobs in peoprapliy. 11. That when adeq ua t e safeguards ciiii be assured the system of aeereditinp schools for the purpose of certify inp pupils as til for the awards of intermediate and leaviup cert ilh ate-, lie caul iously ini rodueed. l".~-That a sound system of trainill}.; secondary teachers lie developed by co-operation between the I'uiversiiy and the Edur-ation Dopartinent mid local school authorities. Such system should include all types ol post-primary 1 eiii bel I.'t. That Die secondary ■ lenmq men I of district hiph schools lie reeopnised as purl of the secondary edue.iiion sy.tem by (a) inspectioii by seeiuidary inspectors: (111 inclusion n| tea,Tiers in the pradinp sebeine for sei oodary teachers. I |. —That service in a di>triel hiph -I bool should be Die ii-iial. if not compulsiO'y. pi'eliatiiiarv ii’aiiiiop lor anpoiiitmeiu as assistant in a )iil l •..•himl.

10. - That the I>epm i men t issue loi (nip'itlv to tcachets in the .eemidmy departments of I lie mallei' distriel. hiph schu.ils practical sn;;pe.'i ions for Die development of courses of work and typical assignments fur imnils io ol'de!' to I, '.'Sell d i fluid t ii's incidental lo secondary tcaehinp under sm b eondiI iolls.

Hi.- Thai district hiph schools devote lucre etl'ori to Ihe introduction of suitable rural i"tiises in secondary edilent ion.

17. That s.'i i.ndaiy. tcehnieal and djst lief iii'pei tm' 1 - hr ::phi more I b'.sely topetlier in ti>" in~p' turn of ]r st-tiriinary w.uT: in all "trade.' l ot schools.

]s,— That close impuTy should he mailo into tli>‘ course of sttuiy of urinary :unl post-primary classes. ie provide hotter artii illation of in-truction. It). —That: consideration he given to the desirability of special residential scholarships in the larger hiyth schools for advanced pupils in smaller district high schools, where it is diflicnlt and osponsive to provide advanced instruction.

20.—That the present system of scholarships he revised and brought into harmony with newer conditions. L'l.—That in the smaller c entres new secondary schools established should he of the present technical high school type and should provide evening classes of general and vocational character.