BEGINNING SCHOOL

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 337, 26 September 1932, Page 3

BEGINNING SCHOOL

THE FIVE YEAR CHILD EDUCATION MINISTER'S REMARKS STRONGLY CRITICISED FACTS AND FIGURES The Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters) has been rather unfortunate in the arguments lle has used to shut out the five-year-olds from the schools. He says, for example, that other countries have a higher age of admission. Here are a few facts: — It has been the general English' practice since the Education Act of 1870 for educational authorities to provide facilities for the teaching of children between three and five. The eompulsory period begins at the age of five, but capitation is paid down to three-year-olds. "The Board of Education," says the Education Year Book (1932), "does not recognise attendance before the age of three for payment of capitation." Tha importance attacbed to infant training is shown hy the fact that there are now 44 nursery schools in England recognised hy the Board of Education. Plans for 35 more have been approved, and the objective within the next few years is 3300 in England and Wales. "In the meantime," says the Year Book, "'160,000 odd children under five years are accommodated in the infant departments of the 'elementary schools. In some areas babies' classes are attached, with toys and other suitable equiment. "Infant teaching," says 'one writer, "is a recognised and distinct department of the English system. The separation of the infant school from the main elementary school is a strongly-held tradition in England and Wales. In the United States, as long ago as 1904, there were 3176 State-supported kindergarten schools with 205,118 pupils, apart from private institutions. In France there are 3220 public nursery schools, with a staff of 7800 teachers, and 5700 classes attached to elementary schools with a total attendance of 530,000 children. It is to be noted also that the nursery schools date back to 1881, and tlieir function was defined in the Act as establishments "in which children of both sexes receive in common the ministrations necessary to their physical, moral and intellectual development." The kindergarten school in Austria is part of the State system of education. Its aim, defined in the Act, is "to confirm and complete the home education of children under the school age, so that through regulated exercises of body and mind they may be prepared for instruction in the primary school. The eompulsory period commences at four and ends at six in these schools. Hungary has a law providing for the eompulsory State education of all children between three and six. Belgium has the same, with this difference, that attendance is free not compusory, but all infant schools are State-aided. In every other European country, in fact, provision of some kind is made. for the care and education of children of five I years and under before proceeding to the elementary schools.