“TIGHTENING CONTROL”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 541, 19 December 1928, Page 6

“TIGHTENING CONTROL”

HAMPERING PRIVATE SCHOOLS DEPARTMENT CRITICISED “Although it is difficult to put a finger on specific instances which show how a policy is shaping itself, I think there are indications that the Education Department is anxious to tighten its control over private schools.” This statement was made by the Rev. J. G. T. Castle, headmaster of King’s School, at the prize-giving ceremony yesterday. “The object would seem to be the bringing of all schools into a rig-d uniform system, every one doing the same thing in the same way, and win’ the same approach to the same problems,” said Mr. Castle. He hoped the freedom of so-called private schools would be recognised now that the department was promising a greater measure of freedom to its own teachers. To avoid being misunderstood, he acknowledged the courtesy and consideration he had received from the department’s tors.

“If some private schools are read: inefficient, let the department have th* courage to cancel their registration, so automatically close them, those that are efficient be t**®®. 1 ™ 1 ' all arbitrary departmental restriction: he said. .... The department should give ‘ encouragement of bold adventure imagination in the quest of the ia■ _ and there should be less ana government by departmental regia* tions and card-filing systems. * new Minister of Education worn able to impress upon his officers more freedom was necessary veloping an educational P°Ucy. 'The headmaster of Kingj’s a Canon H. K. Archdall, said he hope movement could be organised t -. g preparatory schools similar t School, to impress on the Y. Department the necessity to ing these schools freedom from mental restriction.