PARENTS' PROTEST

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 202, 19 April 1932, Page 5

PARENTS' PROTEST

EDUCATION ECONOMY 1 SCHOOL ENTRANCE AGE AND EDUCATION BOARD SYSTEM : ROTORUA HQUSEHOLDERS Householdgrs of the Rotorua Primary School, at their annual meeting last evening, recorded emphatie protests against the recent proposals to increase the school -entrance age to - . six years instead of five as^at pre- 1 ' sent and to replace the "present system of education board control by a central administration in "Wellington. Mr. N. M. Keane- brought up the matter of the school entrance" age, and expressed the opinion that defin- ' ite harm would be done to the primary education system of the country if the proposed change was effected. He considered that a child was at the most su'table age to commence its schooling at five years, and that if it was left without instruction for a further year, harm would be done. A child was at its most impressionable age between five and six and was - also most susceptible to instruction. Mr. W. J. Kurney supported Mr. Keane, and pointed out that if the ~ proposed change was carried out, th'e roll number of the school woujd be reduced and the committee's capitation grant would accordingly- be cut down. This would mean that the committee would he unable to provide firewood and other necessaries to the same extent as at present. It might also mean that the headm'aster would be transferred from the school and that the staff would be reduced. He thought that the meeting should eertainly enter a protest. The* chairman, Mr. A. CJarke said that there was no dqubt that if the entrance age was increased, the roll number of the school would be seri- . « ously affectej. He was a littlq surpris- • ed that there had n'ot been more general protest from school committees - • on the mqtter. On the motion of Mr. Keane, secqnded by Mr. Kurney, it was decided to enter an official protest against the proposed change. "" - » Mr. Keane also referred to the proposal to abolish the present education board system and replace it with a * central administration in Wellington^ * He was of the opinion that 'this would be a distinctly retrograde move, and suggested that the meeting should register its objection to the proposal. Mr. Clarke said that the epmmit'tee had' already diseussed the matter ahd protested, but he thought that a' resolution from a meeting of house- : holders would carry " more we*ght. Personally he thought that district considerations would be thrust i'nto the background if the control was centralised in Wellngton, while there ivould also he increased delay in traqsacting business.