THE EDUCATION BILL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22370, 6 April 1938, Page 7

THE EDUCATION BILL

SELECT COMMITTEE HEARS EVIDENCE ACT TO BE COMPLETELY REDRAFTED MINISTER’S STATEMENT » U>«333 association telkgram.) WELLINGTON, April 5. The hearing of evidence on the Education Amendment Bill by a Select Committee began this morning in Parliament Buildings. Mr C. L. Carr presided. Proceedings were open to the newspapers and the public. Evidence was given by Messrs H. A. Heron, president, and A. H. Thom, secretary, of the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Assistants’ Association, which approved the reduction in the number of governing bodies and. the inclusion of teachers on education boards. With regard to school councils, the association was divided in opinion, but the majority of members approved the functions of the proposed councils, but asked for a clearer definition of the rights of a council in making teachers’ appointments. The association approved the appointment of local education # officers within the board and the raising of the school leaving age to 15. Complete Redrafting “The bill, when it comes down finally, will take the form of a complete redrafting of the act,” said the Minister for Education (the Hon. P. Fraser). Mr Fraser’s statement followed evidence tendered by the New Zca’ina Education Boards’ Association, recording its regret that the Government had not found it possible to brine down a comprehensive measure, embodying its proposals for the promised reorganisation of the education system, and at the same time providing for the consolidation of the Education Act. “For some years now successive Ministers for Education have freely acknowledged the necessity for the consolidation of the Education Act, and regulations issued thereunder, and although the work is one of some magnitude, the association submits that it should not be postponed indefinitely,” the statement added.

Mr Fraser said the present bill was necessary to find out the attitude of the committee representing the House before the bigger question of consolidation was undertaken. The changes involved the complete redraftinig of the act. The bill, when it came down finally, would take that form. The chairman of the association, Mr W. V. Dyer, said the -Minister’s statement cleared up the position, and the association withdrew the section of its evidence relating to consolidation. “Cases can be quoted where the husband stays at home and does the housework,” said Mr Dyer, during evidence on the provisions relating

to the employment of married women as teachers.

Mr Dyer said the association was opposed to the clause, and 1 desired to retain the discretionary power given in section 2 (12) of the Education Amendment Act, 1932-33. No board had declined to appoint a woman simply because she was married. Each case was considered on its merits. “Provided her husband is able to support her, a married woman, if appointed. would be keeping an married teacher cut of a position,” he said. “If the was appointed to the grade II or a higher position, she would block the promotion of a man who could, and usually does, in such a position, marry and maintain a home. If a girl in the public service marries, she is compelled to resign her position. To be a good teacher is a full-time job, and to be a good homekeeper is a full-time job. If the two are combined, either one or the other or both will suffer. In the interests of children, the employment of married women teachers should be optional as at present.” Mr C. L. Carr (Government. Timaru), chairman of the committee, said his experience at school was that married women teachers were better than single women. Many spinsters were destitute of sympathy to childrcn A statement that the association was strongly in favour of unification ox control, and to that extent welcomed the introduction of the Education Amendment Bill, was made by Mr Dyer He said the organisation represented nine existing education boards controlling schools which ap proximatcly 200.000 children attend At present native schools were controlled by the Education Department, the association said. It b ® l e y tl ?*j administration of these schools could be economically and efficiently carried out by the boards. In many of the public primary schools there was a preponderance of native - b no difficulty had been experienced by education boards and inspectors dealing with these children.