SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 211, 25 May 1918, Page 2

SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

By TolceraDh— Press Association. Christchurch, May 2i. The New Zealand Secondary ticnool Teachers' Contereiico passed the iollowiug resolutions:—"That it is in the national interest that tlto holding of national school and other privileges directly involving deuiunds upon the State purse shall be confined to pupils of primary and secondary scliools." "That it is in the national interest highly desirable that u serious effort should be made to lower the age of transfer from primary to secondary schools in accordance'with the practice of the most advanced countries aud the opinion of educational reformers." "That an important means to thin end is the gradual reduction of tho siso of classes in primary schools to a maximum of thirty, and' that conference oft'or its hearty support to the efforts of the N.Z.K.I, to eecuvo this reform which would, in the conference's opinion, bo a'very great oducational adyantago." "That conference is of opinion that all exemption from school attondanco until the age of fourteen should as soon as possible ba withdrawn, and that tho compulsory limit of i'uU-timo school attendance should, in the near future, bo raised to fifteen without exemptions. That the over-increasiiis development of clerical and routine work is a eerious hindrance to principals and other teachers in tho dischargo of more important dutiei), and that delinite clerical assistance should be proved in all secondary schools." "Thnt conference requests tho Jilducation Department to Inko steps forthwith to strengthen tho study of English grammar in tho primary schools' curriculum." 'That conference- would favour tho institution (after tho wnr) of n probationary year for candidates ou first appointment of stuffs of secondary schools, such candidates to receive confirmation of their appointments only niter a satisfactory report by tho school principal and the Department's inspector as to their practical work in tendinis:."