PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24370, 23 September 1944, Page 2

PRIMARY SCHOOL EDUCATION

* BETTER CONDITIONS WANTED

DECISION TO APPROACH MINISTER

A decision to urge the Minister of Education (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) "to meet the urgent needs of primary education, particularly in connexion with staffing, equipment, and accommodation for teachers, together with a substantial reduction in' the size ot classes in primary schools and more adequate staffing with • better equipment in district high schools was made by the Canterbury Education Board yesterday. It was also agreed to ask that education be included in the priority No. 1 classification of essential industries for the supply of manpower, buildings, and textbooks. Because of the views expressed in the 1943-44 report of the Education Department, that local control of education was essential for maintaining interest in educational progress, it was resolved to ask the Minister to convene a conference of education boards early next year to discuss the best course to be taken to. restore local control of education, , .... „ Mr A. E. Lawrence, who moved that these requests be made to the Minister, said that there were, in Christchurch two intermediate schools, and that they* had had varied success. “Money is being used for equipment, buildings, and staffing for intermediate schools while there are grea'i needs in other parts of the country,” he said. There was an outlay of about £130,000 on the two schools, and other schools were not being properly provided for in equipment and staffing. “The Government has no right to expend money until they are provided for. In the Canterbury primary schools 10 per cent, of the classes have more than 50 pupils, and there has been no change since 1935,” he said. Another matter which required attention was the conditions of the country schools. The average country school had one or two teachers, according to the attendances, and it was a tremendous job for any woman to have charge of a school where the roll was down only slightly, preventing the employment of a second teacher. It was also wrong to expect good work from young teachers just out of training college who were given sole-charge schools, and who were practically alone in isolated places. "The, district high schools also are not getting fair play, and it is not unreasonable to ask the department to spend its money on essentials before going on to experimentation,” Mr Lawrence added.

“The policy of having intermediate schools is the only way to relieve congestion in primary schools,” said Mr A. Manning. . . , • . Mr S. Smith said that he would not class the intermediate school system as being experimental, because it had proved a success. “I am entirely in agreement with Mr Lawrence on the question of the conditions of country schools. I am amazed that young people can go to these places.” said the senior inspector (Mr S. J. Irwin), who also expressed concern about the housing of teachers. “If I were a member of the board I would fight for better living conditions for teachers and a reduction in classes,” he added! , A recommendation by the chainttan that all reference to intermediate schools and vocational guidance be deleted from the requests to the Minister was