THE PREMIER ON THE NEW SYLLABUS.

Evening Star, Issue 12067, 12 December 1903, Page 12

THE PREMIER ON THE NEW SYLLABUS.

[Special to thk fc>TAE.] AUCKLAND. December 12. A deputation from the Head-masters' Association waited on Mr Seddon yesterday. Mr W. W. Hill said, that matters in connection with education had not been satisfactory for some time, the teachers believing that there was too much cram in the system. They had done their best, in the hope that when the new syllabus came out their burden would be lightened, so that they would be able to devote more time to training intelligence and less to cramming knowledge. They had now received the new Code, and were grievously disappointed. Instead of their burden being lightened, it had been made more severe.

The Premier replied that he, like the deputation, was disappointed. He was led to believe that the Syllabus would be satisfactory to the teachers. It had been prepared at a conference between the inspectors of schools and the Inspector-General, and there was, he believed, a simplification and easing off on existing conditions. He had thought that the system of cram, with its evils, was to be removed. If the conclusion the teachers had arrived at was that there was not sufficient time in which to teach the new syllabus, then it was matter for further inquiry. He. had received similar communications from the South. He might say that the Syllabus was put before the Parliamentary Committee, which included experts on educational matters, and they made very few suggestions, and those only upon slight matters. Having gone through that ordeal, he was in hopes "that the syllabus would be perfect. A pleasing feature in connection -with the deputation wae, however, that the teachers were prepared to do their best with the Syllabus, tvhile not approving of it in its entirety. In justice to themselves the teachers thought (and rightly) that his attention should "be drawn to these matters. He. would hear what teachers in other parts of the colony had to say upon the subject, and would weigh carefully what thev said. It seemed to him that the best thing* to do would be to have a joint conference of teachers and inspectors, with the Inspector-General presiding. The new Syllabus was practically the united opinions of the inspectors of the colony, but if, as the teachers held, sufficient time was not given to do the work required, then it was a matter that wanted looking into. His experience was that the teachers never shirked work. Of course, rjiey conld not be expected to do impossibilities. The matter specially referred to by the deputation with respect to science—vls., that Fourth Standard science was equal to the Sixth Standard work in the English schools foi children ovei thirteen vcars ". r ago. seemed to lie a strong point, backed r.n as it was by the opinion of Mr George, rr.i Director of Technical Education at Auck-i-'id, who was an authority upon such questions. That alone supported the teachers' crntemion very much. Thev were all an-x:-:ns for the children's welfare, and what ti.-ey wanted was> something workable and rva2.-!T;able from which th.-"children mhdit ;:<jr.efit. He must say he felt that thev had 1.-& ranch cramming, and that the children L'.t school not so well fitter! f<>,- ordinarv of nfe as they would have been had more time been devoted to subjects most suited to their possible requirements. The InM-ec-tor-General's fceait was in this work, and he wn-iid be disappointed at the conclusions that the teachers had arrived at. but he would not say: '* He rn is the >S vilabue ; wors it. ' So far as the Inspector-General drawing up instructions for the inspectors as to what would be a reasonable interpretation of the Syllabus was concerned, t.iat seemed to him to be a reasonable request; but they must rememDer that the inspectors were under the control of the Boards of Education, and the Minister could not interfere with the Board* in that matter. He did not believe in centralisation entirely, but as the department was responsible for the Syllabus it might be 7-ssonable to yive the Boards an authoritative interpretation of it.