NATIVE SCHOOLS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 103, 24 January 1908, Page 10

NATIVE SCHOOLS.

e— ' '•' THE NEW SYLLABUS. (Dr TEUiGIIAPII—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) V Auckland, January 23. The largest gathering of teachers of native schools, that has ever been held in New 'Zealand is now assembled at Auckland. The teachers of the various native schools throughout the North Island, principally the. .Auckland and East Coast, districts, are meeting in conference' at St. Stephen's school for Maori boys, Parncll, for the purpose of discussing tire now syllabus for native schools, which comes into force from the beginning of the present year. The course of school work laid down in this syllabus is far in advance of the old code of instruction',' and** it practically brings the schools, so far as the'standard of instruction is con-' cerned, into line with the ordinary State schools. The conference is being held at the request of the Education Department, for the purpose of 1 ascertaining the views of ' .the' teachers concerning the new syllabus, and the Department is being represented at the proceedings by Mr. Do Costa (Chief Clerk of the: Department); • The - Chief Inspector of Native' Schools (Mr. W. Bird, MA.) is presiding at the conference, and. Mr. J. Porteous (Assistant Inspector) is also present. There are about fifty teachers prosent.-?;' The conference opened to-day 'and -will be continued to-morrow.