SCHOOL SYLLABUS

Hokitika Guardian, 1 March 1928, Page 2

SCHOOL SYLLABUS

INSPECTORS DISCUSS REVISION. WELLINGTON, Feb. '2B. The conference of primary school inspectors tills morning was addressed by the Hon. R. A. Wright, Minister of Education, and Mr T. 13. Strong, Director of Education. After stilting tin* principal' business of the conference the Minister said that the 11)1!) .syllabus had outlived its usefulness. Since that year considerable alteration had occurred ill the educatioual outlook. There was the junior high school movement, locational guidance, the problem of the retardate child and closer acquaintance with the processes of the child mind through scientific research. New methods of instruction had, therefore, become necessary. The purpose ol education was to equip the child mentally. morally and physically for the work of life. In bringing our syllabus more into line with present ideas and recent developments, it appeared. therefore, desirable to have the opinion of the ordinary business man to ascertain as far as possible his views upon uhat should he included to form a balanced ration in education. For this reason a committee hail submitted the result of ils deliberations, which should now he considered in the light of the inspectors professional experience. “It has been suggested by some. ’ said Mr Strong. 'That there exists a marked gap between primary anil -ecoiularv school courses of instruction, ‘and that the primary school system should he remodelled on the lines nf the American junior high school to bridge the gap. Others suggest that anv gap that exists is due to the secondary schools, not to the primary schools. It is alleged that standard VI. pupils, taught hv the strongest and most experienced teachers in the primary schools, pass into the handof junior, untried and often untrained teachers of secondary schools. It rnil.d he our care to devise a system that will give teachers the fullest freedom and incentive to toaleo Ihe highest ideal in education. namely, tin* training "I hov- and gills 111 ‘ cniiic worthy citizens ol a gr.-ai kinpip,. Character-furming mii-t be our fir-t aim. but at the same time must not ignore the need there i> i* ll well-informed citizens. MV must guard against the tendency to allow a eloi-iered type <>[ education to develop. out of toil* IT with the world nt action.” The conference then went into committee to co.isid'*r the new syllabus, and committees were set no to report on different branches of the proposed curriculum.