UNITY IN CONTROL

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 117, 13 November 1929, Page 6

UNITY IN CONTROL

EDUCATION SYSTEM

A SPECIAL REPORT

The "Wellington Federation of Educational Associations recently set up a sub-committee to go into the question of unification of educational control.

"The effective control of tho education system from kindergarten to secondary schools has for years been a problem that leading educationists in the Dominion have been trying to solve," the committee reports. "Eealising this, your executive appointed a sub-committee to go into the question, With a view to submitting a report to the federation delegates for consideration. The system under which education ig controlled requires drastic revision, therefore unification seems to be the only solution of the problem, and the report herewith attached is an earnest endeavour on the part of your sub-committee to remedy the weak links in our system of education."

By vesting the control and administration Of education in specially elected councils, the people themselves would be given the opportunity of deciding the lines on which the educational system of the Dominion shall be run, the class of schools that shall exist, and the amount of money that shall be expended, suggests the report. At present, owing to the many conflicting issues that arise, the many crosscurrents that beset the political atmosphere, it is impossible for the "people to directly express their views on mat? ters appertaining to education. For this reason the administration of the educational system of the Dominion should be removed from departmental control, and vested in the people themselves by the system herein outlined.

The objects of control are set out as under: (1) Place kindergarten, primary, post-primary, secondary, and technical schools under one administrative body in each district; avoid present overlapping between secondary and technical schools; teachers to "bo interchangeable on the basis of a single salary scale. (2) Solve vocational problems now becoming so prominent as follow: (a) In the schools by remodelling certain phases of instruction; (b) beyond the schools by surveying avenues of employment by conference and co-operation with business and farming communities. (3) To check centralisation under departmental control, which has meant government by officials, and not by the people. (4) Popularise education, arouse public interest, and secure popular co-opera-tion between parents, staffs, and schools. (5) Increase resources and improve schools, teaching equipment, giving to each school the equipment necessary for effective teaching. (6) Secure for each governing council the best lay and expert advice on administrative control. GOVERNING COUNCILS. The report advocates the substitution of the existing education boards and boards of governors by the institution of four education councils for the Dominion, each council to consist of 24 member 20 of whom shall be elected triennially on the Parliamentary franchise, and four to represent the teaching profession, in a consultative capacity, without voting power. On the powers of the Education Council the report says: "The education councils shall govern the educational system, supervised by the Minister of Education. Committees elected by the householders shall conduct the affairs of the schools. Tho committees to be responsible for the proper upkeep of their respective schools (kindergarten, primary, postprimary, secondary-technical), and should be allowed sufficient money to' carry out their duties without having to apply to the- education council for permission to undertake trivial works. In short, the committees should be given full power to maintain the schools according 'to local requirements.

"In this connection it may be said that the rich and poor system of education would be evolved, and that the districts with a wealthier community would have a better class of school buildings, but as the education districts suggested cover such an area of urban and rural districts such an event could not operate. Education councils shall have power to submit proposals to a referendum.

_ "The success of the policy of unification of control rests on the powers to be invested in the education councils If greater powers are not given to the councils, and by them to tho committees, then the ideal of an effective system of education under unification falls to the ground." Whilst Mr. H. A. Parkinson has signed and endorsed the principle of unification, he is opposed to the constitution of only four councils, and reserves the right to expound his views on the question of local control. The report is signed by Messrs. N A. Ingram, A. Parlane, H. A. Parkinson, and L. G. P. Whyte.