EDUCATION BOARD.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 217, 28 March 1872, Page 6

EDUCATION BOARD.

The Education Board met on Thursday last.

The Secretary submitted the educational statistics for the year 1871. The total, number of pupils enrolled during 1871, in elementary and grammar schools, is 8,456, the average attendance being 7,526. The amount paid to the several districts by the Government on account of salaries, rents of school premises, poor scholars fees and pupil teachers, amounted to about £14,800; the amount paid for school fees was £7,693 ; and the. subscriptions, £1,668 ; making a total from the districts, of £9,361.

The Board, resolved to adopt the following revised regulations, to take effect from October lot next : —

1. The Board to pay two-thirds cost of pupil teachers, instead of the whole expense a^ at present.

2. The Board .will pay two-thirds of the fees chargeable for the education of orphans, instead, of the whole .expanse, ' . • . The district schools to be classified somewhat as follows :—: —

\. Grammar schools as provided by torsn§ri.ce, ' 2,"Main schools) te&cb&ra'

-salary,. £100 ;. average attendance to be at least 40._^3j.^ideL8chools salary, £75 ; average" attendance at least 25. 4. Temporarily subsidised schools to be discontinued or connected with other half-time schools if attendance does not reach 20 teacher's salary, £60. 5. Schools under itinerant teachers if they can be established. AH schools, at present, ranking as main or side schools, which do not fulfil the required conditions as to attendance, will be brought under the foregoing regulations, although a reduction in rank be the consequence ; but due regard to be paid to the professional status, and merits of the present teachers in the adjustment of the salaries. The payment of salaries will be only rigidly adhered to in the appointment of new teachers, or whsre a falling off in the attendance is fairly and clearlyattributable to the negligence of the teacher. The following minimum average attendance, respectively, to be re- . quired when applications are made for salaries for additional teachers in any school : — For a school mistress at £60 there must be 75. School mistress, with a pupil teacher, 110. Sewing teacher, at £25, pupils 50. Tupil teacher, alone, 55 -pupils. To secure payment of a school mistress's salary, the School Committee must undertake to pay her at least £25 per anuuin in addition to the Board's allowance. In case of a teacher of sewing the School Committee* must contribute £10 in addition to the above salary. No pupil teacher will be granted, unless the School Committee undertake to pay one- third of the cost. •

The School Inspector was instructed to enquire into reducing the cost of smaller schools by amalgamating them with others, and also to report upon the best mode of enabling the Board to judge of the results of the year's teaching in each school, with a view to the bestowal of honorary grants of money upon the most meritorious teachers.

The Board resolved to recommend to school committees that strenuous efforts be made to secure that each school teacher shall receive from the district a sum equal at the very least to one-half the amount contributed by the Board to such teacher's salary.