EDUCATION SYSTEM

Southland Times, Issue 18824, 18 May 1920, Page 6

EDUCATION SYSTEM

WORK OF SCHOOL COMMITTEES. MEDICAL AND DENTAL INSPEC- • TION. (Per United Press Association.7 WELLINGTON, May 17. Replying to a deputation to-day, the Minister of Education said that he regarded the work of school committees as important, and it might be that he would see opportunities in future of even increasing the importance of their work. Certainly the suggestion made to him in the south that lie should abolish committees did not find favour in his eyes. He was opposed to the centralisation of. the whole control of education in a bureaucratic department in Wellington. He did not think that such an arrangement would make for efficiency. With regard to the medical inspection of school children, he feared that the State was not doing enough yet in medical and dental inspection and treatment. At the present time there were twelve doctors and some 22 school nurses and fourteen physical instructors. The Cabinet had lately agreed, at his request, to appoint two more doctors, . and he believed that they were doing excellent work. He would be able to make a statement shortly with regard to the dental treatment. A chief dental officer would be appointed very soon to take charge of the dental department, which would give treatment as well as make an inspection. The controller of the department would have a staff of 13 or 14 dentists to give attention to school children. Some motor ambulances had been secured from the Defence Department and would be fitted up as dental clinics and in these the dentists would go round to the back country districts where often a number of the children were not cared for at all. In the cities treatment would be given at various places, it might be in schools or in connection with the hospitals.