The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1912. THE EDUCATION REPORT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 71, 10 August 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, AUGUST 10, 1912. THE EDUCATION REPORT.

That the Commission set iqj by the Mackenzie Government to enquire into our education system entered upon and discharged their duties in no perfunctory way is shown by the exhaustive and valuable report that 'has just. been, laid before Parliament. The commissioners seem, to have closely investigated and carefully considered every aspect of the question, and the conclusions arrived at | should help Parliament considerably when it conies to deal with the education problem, as it proposes to do next year. The report condemns the present system, or lack of system. Tt finds that the outstanding weaknesses at present in .evidence are due to the complexity of the Departmental administration; the difficulty of management in the smaller education districts; the want of uniformity of aim and method amongst inspectors; the unsatisfactory methods adopted by most Boards for the promotion of teachers; the indefinite and complicated nature of the syllabus; the unsuitability of school buildings and equipments; the inadequate playgrounds; the lack of coordination between primary and higher branches of education; the want of facilities for rural training and the absence of a degree of direct responsibility of the Boards in the expenditure of the moneys entrusted to them. To remedy these defects it proposes to set up a Council of Education of fifteen members, which will take the place of the present Education Department, the constitution of the Council to be partly elective and partly official. This Council will issue fi code of instructions relating to school curricula; it will attend to the supervision of teachers, the erection and equipment of schools, the transfer of teachers from one .listrict to another, scholarships, control of training colleges and other institutions at present administered by the Education Department; it will further advise th<j Minister generally upon all matters relating to the administration of the system, and it will, in short, exercise, a sort of guiding control over the whole of the educational system. The next change advocated by the Commission is the reduction of the number, of boards from thirteen to five, and the consequent widening of their areas. Under this arrangement the Taranaki Hoard Would lose its identity, the provinces of Taranaki and Hawke's Bay and the district of Wnngaiiui being consolidated and Worked as one board. This is a step in the right direction, and would make for both economy and efficiency, and, moreover, would offer teachers better opportunities for promotion than exist at present. School committees are to remain, but those of the larger centres are to be constituted into school boards, and they and the boards of education are to be elected on an enlarged franchise, probably the eleeloral franchise. This is a democratic move, to which no sound objection can be taken. The Commission

refers to the shortage of teachers, and puts its fingers on the causes—inadequate salaries and unsatisfactory conditions. It recommends the improving of both. This is the only way to attract and keep men and women of ability—and our education system will always be a failure lvhen it ceases to attract to the teaching ranks the brightest brains in the community. The Commission further proposes that a portion of the cost of education should he thrown upon the local bodies, by the State offering £2 for every £1 raised by local taxation. Any attempt to transfer financial responsibility for education from the central to local authorities ought to be, and no doubt will be, strenuously resisted. The report suggests modification of the prim- < ary school syllabus in some directions, Viml the extension of its scope in others. The syllabus, to our mind, is already over-loaded, and should he substantially reduced. Judged on its results, it is a complete failure. It would be far better to teach children thoroughly the more important subjects—subjects that will help them afterwards in the battle of life—than to endeavor to cram a dozen useless accomplishments into their minds. The report lays stress upon the value of agricultural education; deals with the cost of the system, the inspectorate, the grading, classification and examination of teachers, continuation schools, the scholarships and free places, the system of examinations, and the consolidation of country schools, all points meriting the close and sympathetic consideration of all desirous of making our education system successful in the true meaning of the -word.