TIME FOR CHANGES

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 8, 9 July 1935, Page 3

TIME FOR CHANGES

EDUCATION SYSTEM

CONSOLIDATION NEEDED

MINISTER'S PROPOSALS

Stating that he had very fixed ideas for the betterment of the education system of New Zealand, but was forced to withhold them at the present June-1 lure because of the exigencies of the | times, the Minister of Education (the Hon. S. G. Smith) last evening gave several indications to the Wellington School Committees and Educational Federation of how he hoped improvements could be effected. Educational legislation in the Dominion, he said, needed consolidation, and in the light of developments overseas the visit abroad of the Director of Education (Mr. N. T. Lambourne) was opportune. "Developments in Great Britain, following son the Hadow Report, have been in operation sufficiently long to have reached a stage when the effects of the changes can be estimated, especially as they have been thoroughly tried in both good and bad times," said the Minister. "The present director is peculiarly well fitted by training and temperament for open-minded, intelligent, and careful observation of the position of education in other countries." The Minister said he intended to take in hand immediately the consolidation of the educational legislation of the country. SCHOOL COMMITTEE GRANTS. Allowances to school committees were first discussed. In 1924-25, the Minister said, an additional grant of £3000 had been made to boards for disbursements to committees, and this had i been continued each year. An additional grant of £4000 was made in 1934-35 to compensate for reduction in grading Of schools through'the exclusion of five-year-olds. He had hoped that there would be a further grant of £3000 this year, but it was not yet known if the money could be provided by the Treasury. Allowances to committees had not been reduced when salaries were cut and cither economies effected. The expenditure of recent years had been: — 1929-30, £104,001; 1930-31, £104,650; 1931-32, £104,949; 1932-33, £104,516; 1934.35, £104,765; 1935-36 (estimated), £ 104.000. The expenditure on school-books I for necessitous cases had increased with difficult times, rising from £883 in 1929-30 to £1439 in. 1934-35. THE STAFFING QUESTION. "The question of whether the average roll number or the average attendance is the better basis on which to calculate the staffing of a school is now under consideration," continued Mr. Smith. He recalled that he had approved of a regulation whereby, if at any time in the course of a term the attendance altered at least 10 per cent, from any cause over which the school had no control, the average attendance for that term could be regarded as 95 per cent, of the roll number. That should ensure that the average attendance was very close indeed to the average roll .number. "However, if a belter system can be found which will keep the staffs from fluctuating without adding to the total expenditure that system will receive my favourable consideration," the Minister remarked, adding that he had made arrangements whereby if any school which appeared to be likely to fall in grade recovered in the last term of the year the staff could be maintained from, term to term, as long as the recovery was maintained. RATIONED TEACHERS. Referring to the rationing of teachers, he said he knew of no other occupation or profession in which the unemployed had been so generously treated, either in remuneration or in work. Nevertheless, he agreed that the sooner rationing could be avoided the better, and he hoped rationed teachers would be absorbed in permanent work within a year or two. The Education Department had arranged to secure for any school a radio set at a little more than half the ordinary retail price, and many school committees were taking advantage of this opportunity, said Mr. Smith in discussing radio lessons to schools broadcast from IYA, 2YA, and 3YA. The Secondary Schools' Association had set up a committee to arrange for special broadcasts to secondary schools. He hoped for an extension of the system of broadcast lessons, which were appreciated by pupils, teachers, and parents. The newest and best methods of giving and taking lessons were conveyed to the schools by experts. CHILDREN'S LIBRARIES. The expenditure on school and class libraries had been suspended when economies became necessary, but he admitted how desirable it was that the grant should be restored. He hoped it would be, but the expenditure would be £2500 a year. He desired, too, to restore the grant for free books for secondary school pupils in needy circumstances; probably £1500 a year would be required. MAINTENANCE COSTS. The expenditure on the maintenance and improvement of school sites was limited, to 5 per cent, of the amount allowed each year for ordinary maintenance of school buildings. The Wellington Education Board had complained of tlie inadequacy of grants for maintenance of school buildings, but the Education Department was of the opinion that the board had been too lavish in its expenditure on improvements to school sites and the provision of tennis courts. Complaints had been made by several other boards, but he had indicated that he did not intend to alter the legislation. He was, however, prepared to consider applications for concrete retaining walls and similar improvements. The Unemployment Board also provided assistance in development work on school sites. In reply to a question from a member, the Minister said he was not opposing the laying down of school tennis courts —which he supported—but the expenditure of money for school buildings on tennis courts. PROFICIENCY CERTIFICATES. Referring to his decision to allow inspectors at the proficiency examinations to accept the estimates of the headmasters of a reasonable percentage of their pupils for proficiency certificates, where the inspectors were satisfied that the school was conducted ■efficiently, he said the accrediting system should, enable the head teacher to plan his work throughout the school in such a way as would enable every pupil to progress at the natural rate. It would also tend to eliminate the practice of some teachers of coaching their pupils only in those parts of the school work which could be tested by a written examination and neglecting other equally important work such as art, music, literature, and physical education. "The concession applies to any school which meets with the approval of the inspector," he said. "The granting of the certificate, however, will depend upon the pupil attending till the end of the year and completing the course o£ work. This system of accrediting is possible only where the inspectors have full confidence in the

teachers. I anticipate that the teachers will live up to the responsibility cast upon them." The Minister defended the extension of the intermediate school system, which, he said, enabled a better classification of the pupils, so that each could receive the education by which he or she would profit most. It 3lso allowed the parents to determine with , more confidence the type of post-prim- : ary work which the pupil should enter later. Overseas experience was that pupils who entered an intermediate school seldom wished to return to one ' containing all classes. The type of discipline was more suitable to their age, i and the teachers were specialists in I their subjects. The effect on schools ; which lost the fifth and sixth stand-1 lards was often beneficial, as the third i and fourth standard pupils developed , their personalities in a way not possible when they were overshadowed by older pupils. FIVE-YEAR-OLDS. . He intended to give very careful < consideration to the question of rend- ] mitting five-year-olds, said the Minis- .. ter. Investigation showed that before j the restriction was imposed the average , age at which pupils were admitted was i five years and seven months, so that i little difference was made to many j parents. ■ The restriction on age was : an economy measure, but it had made ' possible the avoidance of reducing ] I more essential requirements of the , education system. i