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1905. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: TRAINING OF TEACHERS. [In continuation of E.-1e., 1904.]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

No. 1. EXTRACT PROM THE TWENTY-EIGHTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION. The increased grants to training-colleges voted by Parliament last year have enabled the two existing institutions at Christchurch and Dunedin to reorganize their staffs and to bring their work more into accord with modern ideas. The number of students has also largely increased, the number attending during the present year (1905) being nine men and ninety-six women, a total of 105. The establishment of the two other colleges proposed in the report of the parliamentary Committee, at Auckland and Wellington respectively, has been authorised, so that at the beginning of next year there will be four such colleges—one in connection with each of the four university colleges. The demand for teachers 'n the colony s still so great that for some time to come probably many ex-pupil-teachers will accept appointments without going to the training-colleges at all. Nevertheless, it may be confidently stated that the advantages of a thorough training, such as cannot be obtained in the course of apprenticeship, are so obvious and the allowances and privileges to students so liberal that before long the four institutions will in all likelihood have their full complement of teachers in training. The regulations gazetted during the present year extend still further the grants and other benefits set forth in the circular of February, 1904. Provision is made in connection with each training-college for a normal or practising school, which is to include, besides 'the ordinary classes of a public elementary school, a model " country " school of forty children, and a secondary department; the former will enable teachers to be trained in what is one of the most difficult tasks a teacher has to undertake —the proper management, single-handed, of forty children of various ages from five to fifteen, at various stages of mental development. The secondary department will give an opportunity for training those who intend to take up secondary work either in the high schools or in the upper departments of district high schools. Students will take English and other non-special subjects at the university college, but they will attend lectures in the methods of teaching and in the history and principles of education at the training-college. Every one will be required to take up practical work in at least one branch of science, special attention being directed to nature-study and elementary agriculture. Handwork suitable for schools will also receive due attention ; and concurrently with all this there will be frequent teaching practice in the normal school.

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