JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 31 March 1926, Page 8

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL.

MINISTER S REPLY TO, CRITICS.

By Telegraph—Press Association.

AVHANGAREI. March 30. Minister of Education (Sir J. Parr) opened a new junior high school for 320 children at A\ hangarel. to-day. In the course of iiis remarks, Sir James Parr said that he observed that the AVaitaki Branch of the Teachers’ Institute had made a protest against his speech at Oamaru, when he compared the product of junior high schools with the fifth and . sixth standards to the advantage of the now movement. Sir James said that the AVaitaki branch of the Institute had failed to realise that no modern educationist defended the present fifth and sixth standard system. Sir Harry Recliel, Sir John Adams, and Mr Frank Tate (in his recent secondary school report) all advocated that primary education, should cease and seondarv education begin at twelve not. fourteen years of age. This implied, of course, the abolition of the present fifth and sixth standards from the primary course. He had visited all the junior high schools recently, and was satisfied thal they gave a much sounder and better education than the old system. “There can be no doubt,’’ said the Minister, “that gradually and eventually the fifth and sixth standards will he abolished, and that high school education will begin at about twelve years, as is the case in every other country.’-’ The junior high school gave a much richer and more varied curriculum, which aroused and stimulated • the pupil. Classes were smaller, and had the great advantage of being taught by specialist teachers, as against the old system, .where' one' teacher had taken all subjects. The advantages of the new system were beyond nil argument. New Zealand lagged behind all modern practice in carrying primary education on up to the age of 'll years. Experienced primary' teachers, after some specialisation, were necessary to junior high school staffs, and primary teachers would not suffer by the change. Lastly, he was not greatly concerned with how the new school affected existing interests,' because the real test, after all, was what, is best for the child, and all thinkers now agreed that a new and more interesting curriculum was -' required after the present fourth standard.