Inspection and Examination of Private Schools.

Evening Post, Volume L, Issue 51, 28 August 1895, Page 2

Inspection and Examination of Private Schools.

At the meeting of the Ednoation Board to-day, Mr F. Bradey moved, " That in the opinion of the Board, with a view to promote the interests of eduoation, it is advisable that all tbe important private schools should have inspection and examination by inspectors and examiners the same as Education Board schools ; that the Board apply to the Minister of Ednoation for the neoesaary (funds to enable it to engage an additional inspeotor to' carry out tbe above object." Tbe matter wonld, he said, have to be met sooner or later, and it was bettor for the Board to meet it at onoe. If tbe motion was given effeot to.Vhe believed it would strengthen tbe school Bystem in every way. There were 11,000 Catholio obildren in the oolony who were not subject to Government inspection. Mr. M'Cardle seconded the motion. It was a question of expense, no doubt, but without suggesting how the inspection should be_ oarried out he approved the prinoiple as laid down in the motion. Mr. F. H. Fraser questioned whether the subject was not one lrhioh the Le(tiel»tnre ongbt to deal with, and not Eduoation Boards. He would go further than Mr. Brady, and move tbe following amendment : — " That in the opinion of this Board it is expedient that all private schools should be brought under publio inspection; that to this end legislative authority be obtained to compel all such sohoojs to register and obtain a license ; that the issue of a license shall be contingent on the Minister of Eduoation being satisfied with (a) suitability of the buildings and sanitary arrangements ; (b) the qualification of teaohers ; (c) the syllabus ; that provision be made for the inapeotion of all snoh registered sohools, the issue of pass certificates, and the furnishing of detailed reports in like manner as provided by the Eduoation Aot, 1877 ; that all privnte sohools on tbe pnblio register shall be open at all times during school hours to a publio Bohool inspeotor, in suoh manner aa provided by the regulations and the Eduoation Aot, 1877." Mr. M'Cardle said he preferred the amendment to the motion. Mr. Bradey said he would aooept Mr. Fraser'a amendment, and would withdraw his motion in its favour. Mr. W. C. Buohana/h opposed the motion, on the ground that inspection without oon. trol would not be likely to do any good. In his opinion private sohools were every bit as good as publio schools. Dr. Newman did not agree that private aohools were as good as the Board sobools, and Mr. Young said his experience also went to show that they were not. ■ The Chairman said the motion did not deoide anything. This was a national questurn, and should be deoided by Parliament, not by Boards. If they were to inspeot private schools they must have proper authority to do so. The Rev. Mr. Paterson said ho also preferred to throw the responsibility on the Legislature. The motion was oarried, Dr. Newman and Mr. Buchanan dissenting. It was resolved that the resolution should be forwarded to the Minister for Education.