EDUCATIONAL

Hokitika Guardian, 17 May 1929, Page 2

EDUCATIONAL

N.Z. INSTITUTE. WELLINGTON, May 15. Important changes in the education system of New Zealand were proposed by the special committee of the New Zealand Educational Institute, which reported to the conference to-day. The report contained the following recommendations : (1) That as the educative process is continuous, the New Zealand system of education to the end of the secondary course should be under the control and direction of a single authority for each determined area. (2) That the first essential to any system of reorganisation is a reduction of the sizes of classes in primary schools. (3) That the education system of New Zealand be reorganised, with recognition of the following stages: (a) Three to five years, kindergarten; (b) five to eleven years, primary; (c) over 11 years, secondary. (4) Tli at the following principles be accepted for the first stages of the secondary course:—(a) That from the age of 11 to 15 years no specialisation m the direction of agriculture, commercial, or industrial education be attempted, but that period be recognised only as exploratory; (b) that the curricula provide for the operation of a variety of differentiated courses to enable a. bias to lie given to pupils of varying aptitudes and tastes ; .(c) that to enable the system to function to the best advantage, the following organisation be adopted:—(l) For large towns, separate schools to be established; (2) for smaller towns, a District High School to be utilised; (3) in country districts consolidation to be effected and District High Schools established; (d) that provision be made for the transference to the University entrance course at an early age of those children showing an academic bias. That elimination of the overlapping of courses now in operation at High Schools and Technical Schools be effected. In presenting the report, Mr de Derry (Otago) said the question was one of the most important that the Institute had had to face lor many years. The first consideration they had was that of; fiber child, jand the second was that of pqcidtv... On elnueV* : ;i- Mh Jackson moved that the word. “ iflusi”, h.* included after the ri'nirei 11 in -.relation to the primary course.’*- ■’ ( The conference carried a remit regretting that the new text hooks iu arithmetic and history are not in accord with educational ideals. One delegate said there was . not enough' meat in them for the children to chew it.

j.,MINISTER’S DECLARATION. WELLINGTON, May 15. Addressing the Secondary Schools Association, the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) unhesitatingly de-, dared that the present system of education was too academic. It was not sufficiently in tune with life, as the boy or girl would have to meet it. 'Jhe present system was no reflection on tlip teachers. The Government' had„to,tp.ljte full responsibility for the' educational policy, and he would take full responsibility for his policy when he declared it. A system would have to be devised to meet New Zealand’s needs. He repeated his previous attitude that agriculture would have more attention. The importance of getting the best trained teachers possible could not be emphasised too strongly, he said, when speaking of the training colleges. Consolidation in country districts was also mentioned by Mr Atmore, as part of the policy; also a reduction in the size "of classes.

ANOTHER PROPOSAL. WELLINGTON, May 15. The Technical Schools’ Association carried remits that the time is ripe for the reconsideration of the whole system of administration of primary and post-primary schools. Schools of diiforent kinds should be established wherever possible to meet the various needs of pupils and of the localities. All schools should be co-educational, and if the population does not justify the establishment of two types of postprimary school, a school of the technical high school type should be first established, but should offer an academic course for pupils up to 18. Where post-primary schools cannot he established owing to the small number of pupils, the principle of the District "High School should he. extended so that the pupils above Standard IV. are included in the post-primary department. Lost-primary pupils should he brought to the central school from the surrounding schools.