TEACHERS' TRANING COLLEGES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXV, Issue 37, 12 February 1904, Page 4

TEACHERS' TRANING COLLEGES.

The Select Committee on Education set up during last Parliamentary session has effected at least one important result. The Minister for Education, acting on the recommendation of the committee, proposes to establish training colleges for teachers at the chief educational centres. With that object the Department is sending circulars to the Boards of Education at Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Auckland, asking for an expression of opinion with regard to the control of the colleges and details of their organisation. The particulars embodied in these circulars will be read with great interest by all teachers, ami should command a certain amount of public attention. The Education Department's circular suggests that candidates for adnx : >sion to training colleges shall have completed a pupil teacher's course and passed matriculation, or shall have kept terms for one year at a University College, or gained credit at the Junior Uriveraity Scholarship examination. Those candidates who have not been pupil teachers must give satisfactory proof to the principal of the training college of their ability to teach: and all candidates alike must satisfy the authorities a= to health and persona] character, and undertake to leach in either a primary or secondary school in this colony after the course of training is over, it. is clear that the Department is anxious to tuke all due precautions to prevent the advantages of such training from being thrown away upon unpromising probationers, and tv ensure Hie ejn ployment oi graduates from the training colleges in our schools. Provision is to be made to assist students while studying at the training colleges. Ex-pupil teacbtrs shall receive for their first year the salary and allowances of fourth year pupil teachers, and UlO for University College fees. Students in training who have not been through the pupil teachers course will -apparently receive no allowance for the lirst year, but every student who keeps terms at a University College during the second year mid gains a favourable re port from the principal shall receive a bursary of £ 10. The course of training is to be arranged so as to combine instruction in educational theory and practice with University work. Every student in training must attend University lectures in English, and at least one other subject approved by the principal. Instruction in methods of teaching must be given by the principal, and in the theory of education as required by the regulations for A. B. and C. certificates. Kindergarten work, practical scientific work, as required by the public schools syllabus, drawing, singing, and manual or technical instruction in all its branches will also form part of the curriculum. The practical training in leaching will be given in a school attached ie the training college. It is suggested that this school should range from 250 to 400 pupils, and it would presumably be so organised as to cover the whole course of school work as required by the new primary school syllabus. T;«e maintenance -of such trailing colleges will, of course, be expensive; and the opinions of the various Boards upon the financial basis of the scheme may seriously modify the Department's proposals. The salaries of the staff, it is suguc-sted, would bo based on the statutory allowance for schools of the same size as the practising and model departments attached to the training colleges, with house allowance as provided in the Act. The sum of £150 a year would be diverted from the grant and tapitation now paid to the Boards for technical instruction. Further grants equivalent to the district high school grant on a school of not more than 30 pupils aro offered; £ 600 a year is to be drawn from the consolidated funds; and £100 a year extra is to be paid to the principal if he is appointed as lecturer on education at a University College. Without further knowledge of the practical details of the scheme it appears to us very doubtful if tn'e financial resources here indicated would be sufficient for the purpose. On this point the Boards will doubtless have a good deal to say; and in the meantime we welcome the proposals of the Department as distinctly a step in the right direction. At present there are only two training colleges in the colony—both in the South Island, and if our system of primary education is to be made thorotighly pffij cient, this serious deficiency must bo supplied without delay.