EDUCATION BILL

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 186, 6 August 1914, Page 8

EDUCATION BILL

» AUD THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS. .VARIOUS CHANGES WANTED. Tlie Government's new Education Bill wns the subject of discussion at a special meeting of the Auckland Grammar School Board yesterday afternoon, when the principals of the boy 6 and girls Grammar Schools (Air. J. W. Tibbs, M.A., and Miss B. Butler, B.Sc.) were present and made a number of recommendations, which were duly discussed. The clauses of the Bill affecting secondary education were gone through seriatim, and it was decided to lay the following suggestions before the Minister: That two representatives of the proposed secondary school boards of each Inland (four representatives) hSve scats iv the Council of Education, 'in ems connection it was pointed out that both male and female secondary teachers were to be represented, while the secondary boards were not. That the franchise for the election of teachers' representatives be restricted to teachers of at least five years' experience. That the present constitution of the Auckland Grammar School Board be not altered by the inclusion of a fourth representative of the Auckland Education Board. That provision be made that only inspectors with special experience and qualifications be allowed to inspect secondary schools. That Government scholarships be tenable for six years instead of five, so as not to force the holders to leave school, or in the alternative enter the University before the ago of 18, which was inadvisable. It was also resolved to draw the attention of the Minister to the fact that the provisions of schedule 10, which reduced classes to a maximum of 25 and j regulated the minimum and average salaries ot assistants, would Qiave a serious effect financially in the case of the Board. In the course of discussion it was stated that the whole of the present capitation grant and a considerable part of the endowment income of the Board was absorbed by current expenses. If the schedule were enforced, the sum now annually laid by for the erection of urgently needed school building would be reduced by more than half. The Board agreed that good salaries ought to be paid, and it was pointed out that the .present salaries were quite up to the standard of the schedule. The teachers, however, would benefit by the reduction in the size of classes, and the expense of a larger staff would need to be counterbalanced by a large and entirely adequate grant for the erection ot | buildings. !