EDUCATION IN COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 6 September 1922, Page 4

EDUCATION IN COUNTRY.

EXPANSION OF FACILITIES. MORE TRAINED TEACHERS. (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, Last Night. While the Minister of Education was telling the House to-day that the Government could not spare any money to increase subsidies to the kindergarten schools which are to be found in the cities, a country member made an interjection to the effect that more attention should foe paid to the needs of country districts. “I have not neglected country schools,” said the Minister. “If the figures relating to buildings erected during the past few years are analysed you will find that probably for every city school which cost, say, £20,000 and accommodated 700 or 800 children, at least a hundred schools costing £lOOO and under were built in the country districts. The figures are eloquent of the special attention given by the department to rural education during the past few years.” • The Minister added that increased capitation, the payment of boarding allowances and the employment of organising teachers had recently improved facilities for education in the backfolocks. Trained teachers were replacing untrained teachers at an increasing rate and the benefit of this would be strongly felt in the country districts within the next few years. This year the training colleges should turn out some 500 or 600 certificated teachers, the majority of whom would go to the country districts. During the past year the number of uncertificated teachers employed had been reduced by twelve per cent., and he hoped that in the course of next year it Would be further reduced foy 15 or 16 per cent. The Minister referred to the statutory power of the Government to raise the compulsory school age to 15 years. He said that the power had been conferred by an Act passed in 1920. The Government had hoped, to raise the age in 1921, but the financial slump had occurred, and the present position was such that the Government hesitated to make a move that might cause haixlship to a number of people. He believed the House would agree that the time was inopportune for the raising of the school age.