THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22317, 3 February 1938, Page 12

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM

AMENDING LEGISLATION BEING PREPARED SCHOOL-LEAVING AGE MAY BE RAISED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter.! WELLINGTON, February 2. Legislation dealing with the education system is now being prepared, but whether the measure will be dealt with at the parliamentary session resuming on March I will be largely determined by the volume of business requiring attention. With the legislative programme involving such important proposals as the measure providing for a scheme of national superannuation and a bill readjusting the incidence of taxation, it may not be possible to give the educational amendment full consideration. However, the Minister for Education (the Hon.’ P. Fraser) is anxious to have the legislation introduced at the coming session, so that it can be referred to the Education Committee of the House of Representatives, in order that education authorities and interested parties may have the opportunitv of making their representations about the measure. In speeches he has made in Parliament and at recent public gatherings, Mr Fraser has indicated that he is in favour of the unification of education administration. Probably the amending legislation will make provision for the control by education boards of both primary and post-primary education. It is understood that the details involved in this reform are being worked out at present. Accommodation Needs The Minister said recently in an address at the Nightcaps District High School that he was hopeful that it would be possible to raise the school age to 15 years. Authority for the lifting of the age to 15 years by Order-in-Council is already contained in the Education Amendment Act. which was passed m 1920, when Sir James Parr was Minister for Education. Up to the present no step has been taken in this direction, but it is understood that Mr Fraser is at present awaiting a report from the Education Department on the amount of accommodation required for the increased number of pupils and the extra teachers needed to give effect to this reform. By the readmission of five-year-old children, which became effective on the reopening of schools in 1936, the number of children attending primary schools has increased considerably. In 1936 more than 15,000 children were admitted to schools who would not have been there had the five-year-old ban not been removed. Teacher Training This factor, together with the desire of the Government to reduce the size of classes, has made necessary a large addition to the numoer of students admitted to the Training Colleges. The four colleges in the Dominion were closed m 1934, but the following year those at Auckland and Christchurch were reopened, the colleges at Wellington and Dunedin remaining closed. These two colleges were opened by Mr Fraser early in 1935. To help to some extent in overcoming the shortage of teachers, Minister has decided this year that teachers, including married Women, who in the ordinary courSfe would not be employed at this stage of the school year, should be retained in the teaching service. By this means it is hoped to reduce the size of classes more quickly than would otherwise be possible.