EDUCATION POLICY

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 200, 21 May 1936, Page 10

EDUCATION POLICY

Possible Indication Of Lines CIRCULAR TO BOARDS Minister Invites Opinion A possible indication of lines of policy to be followed by the Government with regard to education is given in a long questionnaire submitted by tlie -Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, for the consideration of a conference of education boards to be held in Wellington from July 7 to 9. Air. Fraser has invited Hie opinion of the boards on a number of matters relating to the administration of education. Among these is the question of general administration, with special reference to the functions of education boards, secondary and technical school boards and the possibility of consolidation and unification of control. The opinion of the conference is also invited generally in regard to the reorganisation of the education system and the consolidation of the Act and regulations. The boards are asked to state whether scholarships should be revived or other means taken to give sustenance to scholars. An expression of opinion is asked on the working of the biennial arrangement for householders’ meetings and school committee elections, the permanent adoption of this year’s system of grading schools, the attitude to’be adopted where local prejudices with regard to school consolidation are in conflict with tlie children's interests, suggestions for making primary school conveyance services available also for post-primary schoolchildren and the steps to be taken to obtain information about children not receiving education and the means of dealing with the difficulty. Other points on which the Minister invftes comments are the provision of school books, the supply of milk to school children, agricultural clubs, intermediate schools, the extension of manual training facilities, the raising of the school age. teachers’ salaries, residences and house allowances, the grading and staffing of schools, the allocation of school committee allowances and road dangers to children on their way to and from school.