EDUCATION REFORM.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 April 1922, Page 5

EDUCATION REFORM.

SHORTENING PRIMARY COURSE. SUBSTITUTING JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL WORK. THE SCHEME OUTLINED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Education furnished to-day the preliminary report of the results of the conference of experts, held in Wellington on March 30 and 31, to consider primary education. The conference unanimously approved the proposal that the primary schools course should be shortened to about six years, and that this should be followed by a three years’ junior high school course. Pupils proceeding beyond this course should take up a senior high school course for a further three years, the primary course to be determined by the attainment that can reasonably be expected by pupils who have completed their twelfth year. It was resolved that, in general, about three-fifths of the junior high school course eould be common to all pupils. This portion of the course is to include English, arithmetic, geography, history and civics, elementary and general science, drawing and practical geometry, craftwork, singing, and physical training, also health instruction, and that each junior high school should provide, as far as possible, for the following courses: Academic commercial, industrial, including a domestic course for girls, agriculture, and art. The Minister expressed the opinion that the cogent and forcible views on this important subject, as embodied in the speeches made at the conference, would have a decided educative effect.