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THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

WORK OF ORGANISING TEACHERS. THE REDUCTION OPPOSED. The proposal mad© by the Education Department to reduce the number of organising teachers was again discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the Taranaki Education Board when the following resolution was carried: — ‘‘That the board unanimously and earnestly requests the department to again reconsider the proposal to reduce the number of organising teachers with a view of modifying the proposal to the extent of reducing the present number by one only. The board appreciates the reason given in support of the proposed reduction and urge only for a review of the decision, because it is impressed with the great value of the work already accomplished, which has been for the special benefit of children in the backblock districts, and in whose interests such special work should : be continued.”

In moving the above, the chairman of the board (Mr. P. J. H. White) said a good deal had been heard about retrenchment in education, bift he very much regretted that the very fine forward step which was taken fry the department some years ago was now to suffer by the proposed reduction of organising teachers. He thought standard should be set by the department in respect to its proposals in economy, and, at the least, the aim should be to give every child in the Do- : minion the standard of competency re-1 quired by the sixth standard class. The children in the backblocks had limited opportunities in the matter of education, and it was imperative that the board should see that they were able to attain the standard of efficiency mentioned. It had been stated that the Taranaki Education Board had four organising I teachers to attend to 14 schools, but the I position was that in this district they I had 66 uncertificated teachers in charge I of schools. These were teachers who I were not sufficiently qualified to take I their D certificate, which was the low-1 est granted, and it was necessary that the schools should have the oversight of I organising teachers who were qualified I to give the instruction to teachers. He knew that the country was passing through a financial stringency and that I wherever possible expenditure should be I curtailed, but to do it along the lines I now suggested, he maintained, Vas dis- I astrous to the interests of education in I the baekblocks.. He felt that the mat-1 er should be further represented to the I department, as he believed the Director of Education did not understand the big I difficulties under which the district labored.

Mr. Trimble, in seconding the resolution, said he recognised the Minister was obliged to effect economies, but this was perhaps one of the most easy ways. Mr. R. Masters, M.P., remarked that the Minister was economising at the expense of the children in the backblocks. Continuing, Mr. Trimble suggested that there were other ways of economy. He consider,ed that in districts where the roads were good a large number of the small schools might be closed dowm and the’children could be conveyed to larger centres. There was no doubt that there had been an improvement in the districts where the organising teachers were esta’blishd, and in most cases this fact was appreciated by the parents. He therefore thought it was a great pity that the number was being reduced. Mr. S. G. Smith, M.P., pointed out that protests against reduction had been made by the Educational Institute, by; the School Committees’ Association and by the individual committees. He admitted that the department was hardpressed in the matter of finance, but he did not think this was one of the spheres which should be chosen for re-1 duction. He was speaking as the representative of an urban area which was not affected, but had been through the back country districts where he had an opportunity of seeing the results I achieved by the organisers. In hie opinion the whole of the Taranaki province could not be worked by two organising teachers with the same results in | efficiency, and he thought the compromise offered by the board in their I resolution should be accepted. He in- I timated that he would be pleased tt? make representations to the Minister I and would no dou'bt have the help of his I colleague Mr. Masters. He hoped the department would consent to the proposal as he considered the system of I organising teachers waa one of the I bright spots in the reforms which had been brought into the education system . within the last few years. 1 The motion was then put and carried, and it was decided that copies be for- I warded to the Minister of Education and I < to the Prime Minister.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TDN19211109.2.70

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1921, Page 7

Word count
Tapeke kupu
794

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1921, Page 7

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. Taranaki Daily News, 9 November 1921, Page 7

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