THE EDUCATION VOTE

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20977, 4 October 1933, Page 10

THE EDUCATION VOTE

f. , Effect of Recent Economies MINISTER DISCUSSES POSITION [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 3. The effect of several recent economies in the education vote was discussed by the Minister for Education, the Hon. R. Masters, in reply Lo a deputation representing the New Zealand conference of school committees' associations. Regarding the raising of the school age, the Minister said that New Zealand was not the only country where children were not admitted to schools until they reached the age of six years. His own opinion was that educationally and physically children were no worse .off when the age of entry was five years. The average age of children entering the primary schools in New Zealand was five years and seven months. As they were aware, the Government had modified its original proposal, with the result that any child who reached the age of six during a term could enter school at the commencement of that term. Personally he felt that no injustice was being done to the children of New Zealand by preventing them from entering school until they attained the age of six, and in the meantime that was the policy of the Government. The principal reason for the change was to reduce the cost of education, and this object had been achieved without affecting the education of the children. Kindergarten Work. Kindergarten work, he continued, had never formed part of the national system of education in New Zealand. From time to time, as finance permitted, the Government had assisted the Free Kindergarten Association. When the depression came, it was impossible for the Government to continue to help. Ho was not unsympathetic to the kindergarten system of education, nor were his colleagues. The decision to withhold assistance was purely a matter of economy, and no doubt the position would be reviewed when finance became easier. He had been astonished to find, during his visit to the World Economic Conference, that the kindergarten system in England was developed to such a small extent. In Great Britain the system was partly under the national system of education and partly private. Purging of the teachers' roll to eliminate unsatisfactory teachers was described by Mr Masters as a very difficult question to deal with. To all intents and purposes, a teacher could be dismissed only for gross misbehaviour or immoral conduct, he said. As long as the provisions of the act remained as they were, and as long as the right of appeal stood, it was a very difficult matter to dismiss a teacher. Except in a case of a very bad nature, it was extremely difficult to prove inefficiency. The act might be widened; but such a course would be strongly opposed by the Teachers' Institute. He gathered that the conference was anxious to keep in service only those teachers who were thoroughly competent and who carried out their duties in a capable and efficient manner, and failing that, that some power should be given to dispense with their services.

Size of Classes. The Minister said that considerable reductions had been made in recent years in the size of classes. Under normal conditions, the policy which had been carried on since 1928 of bringing about a gradual reduction would have been continued, and when the financial position was better that policy would be taken up. In 1928, there were 204 classes of less than 31, and to-day there were 380. He would be pleased to see the conditions better; but at the moment the Government did not have the money. He did not deny that the number of classes were tinduly large. Mr Masters mentioned that although the National Expenditure Commission had recommended that school committees' allowances should be reduced by 10 per cent., the Government had not given effect to the recommendation. The allowances to secondary and technical schools had been reduced. He appreciated the difficulty regarding fuel, particularly in the cold districts of the south. A special sum of £3OOO was distributed among nine education boards to assist in cases where the expense was exceptionally heavy. This grant was, perhaps, not sufficient, or perhaps it could have been more evenly distributed. He undertook to go into the matter. RAISING OF SCHOOL AGE STATEMENT BY CHAIRMAN OF OTAGO BOARD [THE PRESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN, October 3. It seems inevitable that if the minimum school age remains at six years when the schools reopen next February, at least six of the Dunedin schools will lose one or. more of their teachers, since next year's staffing is to be on this year's attendance. Referring this morning to that view of the situation. Mr James Wallace f chairman of the Otago Education Board) said that personally he saw no disadvantage educationally to the children being entered at six years instead of five years. In that connexion he mentioned that at a conference not so very long ago, an educationist well qualified to speak on the subject said that he had worked out the average age of entering in large districts, and had found it to be 5.7 in the town and 5.9 in the country, so that the rise to six years did not actually make a great deal of difference to the children. There were objections to raising the age, added Mr Wallace; but he did not see any from on educational angle. The reduction of initial enrolments had some disastrous effects, and it ought to be borne in mind that the reduction came about not only by the raising of the age, but also by something over which Parliament had no : control, namely, the fact that the birth rate was dropping

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

CONCESSION MADE TO PARENTS ANNOUNCEMENT BY HON. R. MASTEBS I'From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] V: ELLINGTON, October 3. A concession to the parents of children attending intermediate schools was announced to-day by the Minister for Education, the Hon. R. Masters, following representations made to him by the conference of School Committee;:' Associations. Be> s and furls whose parents were not in a position to send them en to a secondary school, who could gain more by remaining in an intermediate school, or who were unable to secure wo»;-t, might make application to him, said the Minister, to remain at the intermediate school for a third year. Application would have to be made through the principal of the school, and endorsed by him. The Minister said that the system of intermediate schools operating in New Zealand was distinctly different from that of any other country. When a boy entered an intermediate school in England, he stayed there unless he gained a scholarship which entitled him to secondary education. In New Zealand, the objective was to try out the inclination? and the particular interests of a pupil, so as to direct his course into a combined school or secondary or technical school. Mr Masters said he had been sorry to read a resolution to the effect that the conference was opposed to intermediate schools, and to note the reference to the expenditure on them. With the exception of the Shirley and Napier Schools, no new intermediate schools had been constructed during his term of office, but the system had been put into operation in different centres, where it had been found possible, by the reorganisation of schools to establish an intermediate school without involving any capital expenditure. With regard to the Shirley intermediate school, for the erection of which a contract had just beon made, the Government would have been faced with a capital expenditure in any case, and it was a question whether or not the Dominion should continue with the system of intermediate schools or make additions to the primary schools.

MAINTENANCE GRANTS

MINISTER TO RECOMMEND INCREASE [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, October 3. An announcement that he had decided to recommend the Cabinet to increase the maintenance grant for education boards during the current year was made by the Minister for Education, the Hon. R. Masters, before a deputation representing the School Committees' Associations of New Zealand. ••■ Mr J. W. Preen (South Canterbury) urged upon the Minister ihe necessity for increasing the maintenance grant to education boards for rebuilding some of the old schools. Many schools were celebrating their jubilee, and this would indicate that; the buildings were reaching the end of their usefulness. With reduced grants, education boards found it difficult to keep the buildings in a reasonable state of repair. Children were the first care, and they should be properly housed. The Minister said it was only because of the fact that the Education Boards had given such good attention to the maintenance of schools throughout the Dominion that the Government had been able for the time being to reduce maintenance grants. As a matter of fact, he had already decided to ask Cabinet to increase the grant by a substantial sum this year. Economically it was not a sound policy to go on indefinitely leaving schools without repair, and a further expenditure of money at this time would pro- j vide work for a number of men.

WORK OF DISTRICT HIGH SCHOOLS MORE PRACTICAL COURSE TO BE PROVIDED [From Our Parliamentary lic-porter.l WELLINGTON, October 3. Development of the work of district high schools is proposed by the Minister for Education, the Hon. R. Masters, according to a statement which he made before a deputation representing the conference of school committees' associations of New Zealand. Mr J. W. Walker (Southland) said this type of school was very popular, and was doing excellent work. The conference thought it should be developed wherever possible, particularly in view of the fact that it catered for country children. The Minister said that he himself had a very high opinion of this type of school. It was one of the most useful types in the Dominion, and was economical to run. Before his departure for the World Economic Conference, he had discussed very fully the adoption of a more practical course in district high schools, and the scheme had been placed before education boards, with the object of securing their opinions on the alteration that was suggested in the syllabus. Almost unanimously the boards had accepted the proposals, with the result that a more practical course would be provided in district high schools in the future.

EDUCATION SYSTEM CONTROL BY A NATIONAL COUNCIL SOUGHT [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.l WELLNGTON, October 3. The need for the formation of a National Council of Education lor New Zealand was placed before the Minister for Education, the Hon. R. Masters, by a deputation representing the conference- of School Committees' Associations of New Zealand. Mr N. A. Ingram (Wellington) submitted to the Minister n resolution dealing with the formation of a national council. It was based on an idea that many members had had in mind for a long time, said Mr Ingram. They felt that the time had arrived when the control of education should be taken away from a political atmosphere, and placed under a specially constituted body. There was a constant changing of office due to changing politics "in New Zealand. Mr Masters was the fourth Minister for Education he had waited upon, and each one of the four had brought forward alterations

of policy. Members of the conference felt that education was of such importance that there should be a continuity of control. It was a most constructive policy on their part, and he wished it to be understood that thev came to the Minister with no carping criticism. The suggested personnel of the council was representative and wide in scope. The Minister remarked that he had been impressed by the sincerity of the case made by Mr Ingram. In the main, he thought there had been a fairly continuous policy in New Zealand. ' They would appreciate that the matter was one of Government policy, and as such it would have to be considered by the Cabinet.