JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 3915, 7 March 1929, Page 3

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS

SYSTEM NOT YET TESTED. ALTERNATIVE SUGGESTED. iMasterton, March 5. At its meeting on Saturday the Masterton branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute discussed the junior high school system, and unanimously adopted the folloAving resolution to be translmitted to all other branches of- the Institute:—“That, as in the opinion of this branch* the junior high school systdm is fraught with uncertainties, inasmuch /as the system has not been thoroughly tested and educationists differ as to its supposed benefits, we are of the opinion that the articulation between primary and secondary education can better be secured by a more generous staffing in primary schools, thus tending to accelerate the progress of the primary pupil.” In a circular, in which it is forwarding its resolution to the other branches, the Masterton branch states that it Avishes to emphasise: (1) “That no full and-.authorita-tive report has yet appeared regarding the success of the junior high school system; (2) that the most Urgent need in the education system to-day is for a reduction in tiie .size of classes, beginning with the infant department; (3) that the proposed decapitation of schools Avill not tend to a reduction in the size of classes; (4) that given classes of, s'ay, 40 pupils, the primary schools could, by accelerating the progress of the brighter pupils, hand them over to a post-primary school 'at the age of 12 years with a complete primary training; (5) that the new syllabus should be given a full 'and fair trial, with a vieAV to ascertaining whether better articulation cannot be secured betAA'een primary and secondary education than obtains at present. This branch is firmly of the opinion that the best interests of the child can be secured by retaining him in a smaller and more efficiently taught class in the primary sc-hool, and will be glad of the support of the other branches in the matter.”