DOCKETING CHILDREN.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 186, 6 August 1913, Page 4

DOCKETING CHILDREN.

BY MEDICAI, INSPECTICiT CARDS.

KEEPING TRACK OF PUPILS-

The transfer of the scholars' record' cards (which are used in connection with the medical inspection of eehool children) when the pupil U transferred from one school to a not ':.?t is a subject that presents some difficult, to the Department and to the head teachers. The most recent proposal by the Department was that each head teacher be asked to forward the cards by .post to the head teacher of the school to which the scholar wae transferred, and to make a claim against his Education Board for postage. In eubmifting this suggestion for the consideration of boards, the Inspector-General commented adversely upon the present method of handing the record card, in the departmental sealed envelope, to the child about to transfer. It wae pointed out that this arrangement entailed considerable risk of the disclosure of confidential information, as well as the risk of loss or non-delivery. The InspectorGeneral invited suggestions on the matter.

Reporting on the subject, the Auckland Education Board's chief inspector (Mr. E. K. Mulgan) observed that the Department's proposal appeared to lose eight of the uncertainty of destination in the ease of many pupilSj perhapa the majority of pupils, moving "from one school to another. If this were true o! the movements of pupils within an education district, the difficulty:'was aggravated in cases -where pupils moved. It was desirable, 11 r. Mulgan advised, for the record cards to be held by the head teacher until the migrating pupils were ■actually enrolled in some other school, to which the cards could be forwarded on application being made by the heid tea-cher 'of the enrolling " fchool. He strongly approved the proposal to refund the expense of postage to the teacheri, and suggested at the same time thai postage expense entailed by tea.cherß.iii connection with the ordinary certificate* of transfer should also be refunded by the Department through the boards. The Board decided to forward the chid inspector's report to the Department,