The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1908. SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 397, 2 April 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1908. SCHOOL CLASSIFICATION.

The local school committee have expressed dissatisfaction with the present system of school classification, and some time ago brought the matter under the notice of Mr John Stevens, M.P., urging him to approach “the powers that be ” with a view to making full inquiries into the present system. Mr Stevens forwarded a letter to the Minister ot Education covering a copy of the resolution passed by the local school committee relative to the method of classifying children in the schools. Mr Stevens suggested the holding of a special enquiry into the relations at present prevailing between Education Boards and School Committees in the Dominion, In reply the Minister pointed out: — That however desirable a uniformity of standards throughout the schoolc of the Dominion may be, it must be regarded as of still greater moment to the well-being of the community that the teacher should be entrusted with freedom to make the best use of his intimate knowledge of the children in placing them where they would derive most profit by the instruction given. All recent developments in educational organisation are in this direction, and it would not become New Zealand to be the first to take a backward step. That the relations between Education Boards and School Committees are not always as harmonious as might be desired is to be regretted, but I doubt whether any practical benefit would be gained by setting up a Royal Commission to take evidence in the matter. The evidence of any differences of opinion that occur is in general made sufficiently public property, and the problem is rather one of administration, which I need scarcely say will receive full consideration.

In a letter to the Committee, covering the Minister’s reply, Mr Stevens says Judging from the trend of the Minister’s letter, there does not appear to be any unanimity of opinion respecting the system of teaching within, the Dominion. Therefore I still contend that some other compe-

tent and independent opinion should be obtained outside the officials of the Education Department, My contention is, I believe, borne out by the last report published of the schools in the Wellington Education District, wherein it states that 30 odd schools are hardly satisfactory, and that 10 are certainly unsatisfactory. If this, and other reasons which certainly do exsit, are not sufficient cause for an enquiry of an independent character, there will require to be some very drastic change made in the administration of the Department. A special Parliamentary Committee, if set up, might achieve the desired object, but the very limited time within which members have to deal with such an important question as this, would not, I think, achieve the same object as the method which I have suggested to the Minister.

The Education Department, like other Departments of Slate, is of course open to criticism. The present system of classification is the result of very careful consideration on the part of experts. The headmaster, who has a knowledge of every child’s ability, promotes each scholar according to individual merit. He is in a belter position to know the average merit of the child than the Inspector who payS an annual visit. The work of the children is submitted to the Inspector, who indorses the headmaster’s classification or otherwise. The examination of Standard VI. is, however, personally supervised by the Inspector, but we understand that wider powers in reference to the granting of competency and proficiency certificates will be given to headmasters in future. With all due deference to the local committee, we think anyone who has given the classification subject careful consideration, will agree that it is a great improvement on the old system. But old systems die haid.