EDUCATION BOARDS

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1927, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARDS

CRITICISM. AND A REPLY. Tho Director of lEducation, Mr T. B. Strong, replied, in conversation with a representative of The Press on Tuesday evening, to tbe attack levelled at the Education Department by the Canterbury Education Board at its meeting last Friday.

‘Jt is very natural for the Board to he disturbed at the rumours that have been afloat regarding the status of Education (Boards, and it is also natural that it should be annoyed. But what has been said makes not. the slightest difference to the relations between the Department and the Board,” said Mr Strong. “The officers of the Department,” he said, “realise their duty n.nd co-operate in every possible way with the local bodies that are in control of education. They will continue to do so to the utmost of their ability. The fact that the officers of the Department spent three hours in consultation with the representatives of the Education Board and with the Board's officers on the day of the Board meeting, is sufficient to show that the Depart, metnb desires the closest co-operation. “Referring to the statement that appeared |in 'the Education Gazette regarding the number of large classes in the Dominion, a Press report has been sent to me, and it certainly attributes to n. member of the Canterbury Education. Board the statement that there are 909 c lasses of over 60 pupils in various parts of New Zealand,” said Mr Strong. “This the Department regards as a most disturbing statement in view of Die efforts made by the late Minister a.nd t>v the Hon Mr Wright to reduce the number of such classes. The statement. also must have been very disturbing to the young teachers who have been finding it difficult to secure emplovment, since it has the declared policy of the Department to appoint additional assistants in order to reduce the sire of the classes. The correction published in the Gazette is not in the least meant as a,n attackon the Board, or upon any individual member, hut merely as a correction ot a misconception of the position.