EDUCATION BILL

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 82, 7 April 1938, Page 24

EDUCATION BILL

SCHOOL COMMITTEES' VIEWS Agreement with many of the proposals of thie Education Amendment Bill was expressed by Mr. F. H. Porter, on behalf of the Dominion Federation of School Committees' Associations of New Zealand in giving evidence to the Education Committee yesterday afternoon. . I

Mr. Porter expressed the opinion that school committees' powers should be widened, and that the schedule on which capitation >was at present made should be extended. The association favoured an annual election for school committees, but with half the committee retiring annually. The proposal to raise the school-leaving age to 15 years was approved. Mr. Porter said that if the school committees became the local centre for the adult education scheme, the status of x the committees would be improved. School committees would naturally like some say in the • appointment of teachers. He favoured the present' method of the election of school committees. Mr. Porter said he did not think the employment of married women teachers was "a burning question." He did not think married women teachers should be employed when others were out of work. •

Mr. T. F. Simpson, of Wellington, giving evidence in a private capacity, pointed out that "moral instruction" was provided for in the Education Act, yet only permissive religious instruction was provided for in the amendment. How could such a state of affairs be reconciled?

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