EDUCATION REFORMS.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1918, Page 2

EDUCATION REFORMS.

EXTENSION TO AGE OF 16 OR 17.

The budget, states that the Education estimates for the current financial year show a considerable increase over the amount expended during the previous year.

The most pressing educatioii need at the present time is an adequate supply of properly trained teachers, and no important step in education progress can be made until a large increase in the number of efficient teachers has been secured. It is impossible to bring about the important reform of reducing the size .of tho large classes in our city schools because of the acute shortage of teachers and the difficulty of securing the proper type of young people for the teaching profession. Again, if we are to attain a higher standard of individual and national efficiency, the scope of compulsory education must be extended so as to include young people up to t'ue age of sixteen or seventeen, who, during the most formative years of their lives, should be required to continue their education in order to become better fitted as citizens, workers, and parents. This reform also is difficult to bring into operation until an increased supply of trained teachers is available; but upon the return of our troops this should to some extent be mitigated. The services for promoting the health and the physical development of the pupils of primary schools are being gradually extended as opportunity permits. By reason of conditions developing, the question of further steps being taken to promote child-welfare is receiving earnest consideration. During tho year reforms have been made in t'iie system relating to destitute, delinquent, and uncontrollable children and juvenile offenders, and, apart from the improvements effected in the methods of dealing with these children, substantial savings have been made not only in regard to current maintenance, but also in capital expenditure. By the extension of the probation system to the four centres of population, and by extending t'lie boardingout system and the system of placing children in situations,-it has been possible to close two institutions and to reduce considerably the numbers maintained at five others, with an increase rather than a dscrea.se in the educationa 1 benefits; ' The closing'of a. third institution, one of t'hosß last mentioned, is now 'under consideration. '.

In spite of the facts-that th? cost of living has gone up and that allowances for" boarding out children liave had. to b;e - increased, also that buildings have .-ijathto be "improved at a -.time w'hen the expense-has. beep lrigb,-tha say irig. effect-ed--uadei'..-the -ne-p.- conditions "for- the -year ending the last,amount{ ed to several thou?ji.wls of pounds..., .

j. There, are. indlcatiipn\ "tfii'at,' "by. ing • to* vforkms causes and conditions'- that fire' this..branch of the Departmen; will have to aWume ' ixie'reiisliig .obligations In the' near futifvc. • ,: The Teachers' Superannuation Fund, the 'Slst R6ceffihet; ,1017.,. to £426,225, as- compared with ;£3B-1,-1(58 oh the 31st December, 1010. During the ye'ao ) 91T allowances totalling £3,o49'per annum wereg rantasj,. the total annual rate-at .the of the year being £47,470. The number of contributors on the same date was 4,792.