REVISING EDUCATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 540, 18 December 1928, Page 8

REVISING EDUCATION

NEW CLASSIFICATION NEEDED HEADMASTER’S OPINION Post-primary education was the subject of comment by Mr. H. I. D. Mahon headmaster of tlie Auckland Grammar School, in his report presented at the prize-giving ceremony last evening. In view of the large number of pupil? admitted from the primary schools at the beginning of each year and of the growing demand for some form of post-primary education, I feel that I should deal briefly with the contemplated reorganisation of the school system,” said Mr. Mahon. “It is proposed that, as in England, primary education should end at the age of 11. A second stage of education is to begin at this point, going on for the majority to 15; for many to 16, and for some to 18 or 19. “There is some conflict of opinion in New Zealand as to how our post-prim-ary system should be organised. Some advocate that the only type should be the combined junior and senior high school. “In such a large centre as Auckland it would be more efficient to transfer, at the age of 11, from the primary to the existing secondary school the pupils who show a marked aptitude for education of the more academic type. The remainder could then be drafted to junior high schools where they could be classified in parallel groups with curricula suited to their particular aptitudes. At the end of the first year in the junior high schools a farther selection should be made of those who had shown by their proficiency in English, French and mathematics that they would profit by education of the traditional secondary type. “This scheme would have many advantages,” concluded the report. “The longer secondary school course would enable us to give more attention to subjects of a purely cultural nature, while maintaining that high standard of general education In English, history, Latin, French, science, drawing and mathematics. , “It would ensure the maintenance of a few boys* the traditional secondary type in“\vhich we could continue to do work comparable to that in the best English schools.”