EFFECT OR BOARDS.

Putaruru Press, Volume VIII, Issue 349, 31 July 1930, Page 5

EFFECT OR BOARDS.

CENTRALISATION OPPOSED Mr. E. C. Banks’ Comment. Mr. E. C. Banks, of Matamata, a member of the Auckland Education Board, stated that the report of the Parliamentary Committee was a good one, except insofar as it suggested that administrative control of education should be centralised in Wellington. There was bound to be strong opposition to this clause, as the proposal meant that teachers’ salaries, teachers’ appointments and all money matters would be taken away from local boards and centralised under Wellington control. It was further proposed that local Education Boards should have the senior inspector as chairman and secretary and that half the members should be Government nominees, while the office would be a room in one of the schools. Mr. Banks stated he was totally opposed to these suggestions as he felt they would not be in the best interests of education. He supported the idea of reducing the controlling authorities from 54 to 18 as a very gobd move, but favoured giving the 18 new boards more pow, ers of control than at present, instead of concentrating ail power in Wellington. Under the new proposal of 18 boards the primary, high school and secondary departments would be administered by a single authority, and besides reducing expense this would result in more efficiency and also continuity in education. Under this latter system there would most likely be education boards based on such centres as Whangarei, Hamilton and Tauranga, providing the new areas were created on a population basis. Referring to the proposed agricultural bias, Mr. Banks stated that in his evidence before the committee he had suggested that after English and arithmetic scholars should take plant life as the next subject, to be followed by animal life and physical geography. This would give the necessary bias. Then would follow the further subjects of woodwork, domestic science, civics, geography, history, drawing and music. If the subjects were taught in that order all the bias required would be given. In regard to consolidation, Mr. Banks held that it would be a big lift in this direction to make all district high schools like that ’of Matamata. Where there was a One-teacher school near a two-teacher school he would close the former and concentrate the children. If this were not possible, then the 5 and 6 standards should be consolidated and only infant schools left.

The termination of primary education at 11 plus years of age was one of the best things that could happen so long as French and the matriculation examination did not remain fetishes. This suggestion would give time for exploratory courses. Raising the compulsory age to 15 was a every good move, and should be carried irrespective of ment. At present 40 per coot children attending high schools . at the end of the first ; ’ iring

this period they had taken up new subjects, so that the year was of little use to them. The third year at the Junior High School was equal to the first year at a High School and the alteration would be a distinct gain. The Kowhai High Scho'ol had about 900 children from 12 to 15 years of age. In Whangarei and Waitaki and that class of tc-r- 1 ■ junior department should -Lr the hig'h school. In places like Hamilton and New Plymouth the technical and high schools should be combined. If district high schools were to have junior high schools like Matamata attached, then there would be the complete unit of primary, junior and senior departments.