EDUCATION BOARD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 114, 17 May 1933, Page 3

EDUCATION BOARD.

REVIEW OF YEAR. BUILDING WORKS DEFERRED. IMPROVED TEACHING SERVICE. Activities of the Auckland Education Board for the 12 months ended March 31 are reviewed in a report prepared by the chairman, Mr. T. U. Wells, for the information of the Minuter of Education. The report was approved at this morning's meeting of the board. At the end of HKS'2 the number of schools occupied was 738. The number of scholar,- enrolled at that time was 80,309— boys 34.577, girls 31.522. The total showed a decrease of I'M as coinpared with the figure at the end of 1931. The yearly average attendance was 01,310, a decrease of 1220 as compared with the previous year. .During the year 11 new schools were opened and 22. including eight "aided" schools, were closed? "The board regrets that it was necceFary, owing to lack of funds, to defer maiiy necessary building works, ruich as the erection of new school buildings to replace halU and other privately owned buildings which, in many cases, are not suitable for school purposes, and the. enlargement, of buildings which are overcrowded," said the report. "The necessity for enlargement of schools had been postponed temporarily i" some districts through the exclusion of five-year-old children, but there are many cases where the need for proper ' accommodation is urgent. The board trusts that the Government" will be able to sec its way clear to deal with urgent cases, as funds permit, The need ako still exists for the erection of teachers residence* in country districts." Income ana Expenditure. The board's income for the year totalled £605.875, while expenditure amounted to £008,290. The report states that the board was able to appoint certilicated and trained teachers to all schools of Grade I. and higher, while even in Grade 0 school* certificated teachers had replaced uncertiflcated teachers in all but a few districts where lack of accommodation made the engagement of the local resident necessary. The disadvantages under which settlers of backblock districts had Buffered in the past through want ot proper facilities for the education *of their children had thus, to a great extent, been removed. . . Touching on the raising of the minimum school age from five to eix years, the report states that the eflect ot the change is only now becoming apparent. It will reeult'in the reduction in grade of very many schools, and the consequent necessity of dispensing With the services of a large number of teachers. The reports of the inspectors and the results of public examinations showed that the district high schools were maintaining a high etandard, and that they fulfilled a great need for rural areas. Junior high schools had continued to give good service. The school medical officers continued to render (rood service in connection with the health of school children. Dental clinics also functioned efficiently in many districts. In the smaller country districts, however, there wae great need for the extension of the school dental service. The report expressed the hope that when financial conditions unproved some scheme for the extension of the service would be evolved. In conclusion, the report reiterated the board's opinion that the abolition ot education boards and the centralisation of educational administration in Wellington, as -proposed by the National Expenditure Committee, would be J. most retrograde step.