Form 1 To Six Approved

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31057, 12 May 1966, Page 1

Form 1 To Six Approved

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 11

The New Zealand Educational Institute approved in principle the establishment of form one to six schools in rural areas.

But the institute wants an immediate official survey of the needs of district high schools after an investigation it made into these schools. A report from the Dominion executive of the institute said: “Until this is done, it is illogical and unfair to compare the effectiveness of other more fortunately served schools with that of the district high school.”

The report was presented at the annual meeting of the institute at Wellington Teachers’ College. "Unfortunately, because material needs have been neglected, many district high schools no longer have the status they merit, nor are they able to do their job as efficiently as they should,” the report said. Form one to six schools offered the possibility of bringing together sufficient numbers of form one and two children to give them the advantages sought by the Commission on Education in 1962.

To this extent the proposal merited the support of the institute, it said. “The form one and two years are transitional years

. . and the education programmes should reflect the

nature of these classes. “It would be unfortunate if traditional secondary methods were moved down to the 11 and 12-year-olds, as could happen so easily under a form one to six organisation,” it said. Before form one to six schools are set up, the institute wants the schools examined individually.

There would have to be evidence that the proposed, reorganisation met clearly specified criteria. “The needs of form one and two pupils must be kept in mind when planning syllabuses, courses, and staffing schedules. “An assurance that the Department of Education agrees to safeguard these criteria would be a prerequisite to any approval by the institute,” the executive said.

The meeting adopted the report.