EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 191, 11 May 1938, Page 13

EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM

Minister’s Survey Of Developments

ADDRESS TO TEACHERS

A .survey of the Government's activities in educational matters was made by the Minister of Education, Hou. I’. Fraser, in addressing the combined delegates to the teachers’ conferences at present assembled in Wellington at the Technical College yesterday morning. “It will be tigreed by all,” strid the Minister, “that the question of school buildings is a most importtint one. The best teacher is badly handicapped in an obsolete, overcrowded, badly-equipped classroom. The health of the children is also involved. During the two years and live months in which the Governmetn has been in office, grants amounting to £1.380.066 have been made for school buildings." Of that amount, £826,960 was approved in respect of primary schools, allocated as follows: —New schools, £352,775; additions, £253,323; remodelling, £24,472; residences. £78,499; sites, £80,582; miscellaneous, £37,309 ; totai for primary schools, £826,960. The amount granted for secondary schools was £126.496, technical schools £154,356, university colleges £118,388, training colleges £49,368, Native schools £87,760. The total amount for other than primary school buildings was £553,106. The following was a summary _ of grants for school buildings and sites, December 6, 1935, to March 31, 1938: — Schools, new and rebuilt, £425,997; additions, £622,392; remodelling, £48,359 ; residences, £91,785 ; sites, £112,270; miscellaneous, £79,263 ; total, £1,380,000. In the two years 1932-33 and 1933-34 the amount of grants authorised for school buildings was £128,610. In the two years 1934-35 and 1935-36 the amount of grants authorised for school building was £428,600.

The provision by public works appropriations for capital expenditure on buildings wars £500,000 in 1936-37 and £550,000 in 1937-38, as against £lBO,OOO, plus £23,060 from the Unemployment Fund (£203,060), in 1935-30. For the general maintenance of school buildings, including ground improvements and strengthening against earthquakes, the total amount appropriated was £79,560 in 1935-36, £186,300 in 1936-37, and £249,750 in 1937-38.

“I am dealing with this matter of expenditure on school buildings at some length because I consider it is so important,” Mr. Fraser proceeded. “Many of our school buildings and teachers’ residences are still in a deplorable condition. You will agree that I did not exaggerate two years when I said it would take millions of money to bring our school buildings up to an adequate standard, but generally speaking the- work of rebuilding, renovating, and extending is going on as rapidly as our very greatly handicapped architectural staffs of the Education Department and the education boards permit. One of the great disabilities is the impossibility at the present time of securing competent draughtsmen. “In order that additional floor space may be provided for pupils it was decided to increase the size of the standard classrooms in future from 24ft. x 22ft., to 26ft. x 24ft., in school buildings commenced in 1938, and even those for which plans have been approved are to be provided with the larger type of room.”

“In March, 1937, a conference of school architects was called to discuss all phases of school buildings, including new buildings, especially the open-air type, maintenance, furniture, equipment, etc. The matters as generally discussed, particularly open-air classrooms, furniture, and construction, achieved good results. Incidental Grants.

“The work of attending to the school buildings and grounds falls upon the school committees. The grants for school committee incidentals were increased from £104,000 in 1935-36. to £156,000 in 1936-37 (£16,000 being specially provided for improvements in school grounds). The sum of £156,000 was again provided for the year ending March 31, 1938. “The incidental grants for secondary schools were increased by nearly £7OOO in 1936-37, and over £lO,OOO in 1937-38, as compared with 1935-36. There was also a substantial increase in the appropriations for incidental expenses of technical schools.”

Proceeding, the Minister said that grants had been made of two- thirds of the cost of the assembly halls of postprimary schools. Grants up to a limit of £2OO had been made for swimming baths. The Department now provided three-quarters of the cost of installing septic tank system of drainage in schools. The Education Board provided the balance, and the school committees had been set free from any financial responsibility -in this respect. It had been decided to provide a grant of two-thirds the cost for installing hotwater services.

In addition to the amounts already

mentioned, a considerable sum was made available for additions to the Institute for the Blind and for kindergartens. Although kindergartens did not form part of the recognised State School system, grants had been made to the Kindergarten Association I” 1 ' many years, but. they were cut out in the financial years ended March 3.1, 1933, 1934, and 1935. They were partially restored in 1935-36. the amount voted being £3510: in 1936-37 this was increased to £6000; and in 1937-38 the sum of £lO,OOO was appropriated. The Five-Year-Olds. "When tl.e present Government camo into otiiee the most pressing educational question was the admission of children of five years of age to the public schools,” the Minister continued.- “In 1932 the lower limit of school age had been raised to six years by the National Government. Permission was. however, given for pupils to enrol at the beginning of the term in which they would reach the age of six years. On the reopening of schools on February 1, 1936. any child who bad attained the age of five years became eligible for enrolment. On July 1, .1933, there were 1908 children on the rolls of public schools aged five years; on July 1. 1934, 202.1 ; on July 1, 1935, 2600; on July 1, 1930. the number bad increased to 17,653; and on July 1, 1937. there were 17,398. Tims, in .1936, over 15,000 children were permitted to enrol at school a year earlier as a result of lowering the age to five years.”

The Minister went on to refer to the appointment of four additional school medical officers, live additional school nurses, the increases of trainees at. the Dental Clinic* from 30 in 1935 to 75 in 1938, and the free issue of a half-pint of milk to each pupil daily. It. was estimated that .some 8000 Maori children would receive the benefits of the malted milk scheme in the near future. The milk would be available to approximately 185,000, or over 60 per cent, of the school child population. For the financial year ended March 31, 1938, the scheme cost £78,270. The training colleges had been reopened, and at the present time there wore over 1500 students in training. In 1936 it was decided to grade primary schools on 95 per cent, of their roll number at March 31. In 1937 schools were again graded on 95 per cent., and in this year schools had been graded on the average roll numbers for the first four weeks of the third term of the preceding year. Before the year 1936 schools were graded on their average attendance for the previous year. The schools affected would have a very favourable staffing service. The education boards would also receive their general grant on the full roll number instead of on the average attendance.

New conveyance services for school children had been established and £95,000 had been appropriated in 193738 for the conveyance of primary school children by road, ferry, etc.