SCHOOL AGE

Evening Star, Issue 21723, 18 May 1934, Page 11

SCHOOL AGE

MINISTER DEFENDS NEW POLICY (Pax Uhitjsd Pans .Association.] WELLINGTON, May 17. A spirited reply to the criticism of the Government in excluding live-year-old children fi'om the schools was made by the Minister of Education (Mr Musters) to-night when a deputation placed before him a number of resolutions passed recently by the school committees in the Wellington province. The Minister outlined the reasons for the Government’s policy, and said it had never occurred to him that any child would suffer moral deterioration as a result of being at home with its mother. Some very extravagant statements had been made as to the effect that exclusion from school was likely to have upon children under the age of six. It find even been suggested by a speaker at the recent conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute held in Wellington that the present system encouraged child slavery. What was worse was that no one had refuted tlie suggestion, which was a direct insult to farmers. Members of the Auckland Head Masters’ Association, the Minister said, had alleged that the change would result in an increase in juvenile delinquency. “Now, if these people would only come out and bo straight and honest and say ‘ this affects the grading of our schools as well as our salaries and wo want the thing altered,’ we would know whore we stood,” Mr Masters said. “ Instead of doing that, however, they wrap their argument up in a different kind of stuff. If they are embarking on an agitation for an increase in salary—well, let us have it.”

Mr Masters said he did not think it could be claimed I'rom a medical point of view that the children wore suffering an injustice by being kept out oi the schools until they had reached the age of six. The department felt that the experiment was worth a trial, and it was too early yet to come to a decision whether it was a success or a failure. ft had been freely stated that since the change was -made the children were going into private schools by'the hundreds. A voice: That is quite true. Mr Masters said that statistics proved otherwise. Records showed that there were forty-four private registered schools in the Wellington and Marlborough provinces, and it was interesting to find that in the inlnnt classes there were 195 children fewer than there, wore last year. This, he' thought, was an effective reply to the argument that the private schools were being overcrowded. Replying to a request for smaller classes the Minister said he did not think it was generally known that great progress had been made in New Zealand in recent years in reducing the number of pupils taught by individual teachers. The average number of pupils per adult teacher in England, based on the roll number, had been thirty-three for the last throe years. Allowing for an average attendance of 90 per cent, this would become thirty on the average attendance. The average attendance in Now Zealand was nearly 9.3 per cent. The Minister said that to reduce all classes to thirty-five in average attendance or in roll number would involve an increase in the number ot teachers, thus causing a greater expenditure on salaries and training, and also an increase in the capital cost in many schools because of the additional accommodation which would be required. This year the employment of teachers under the rationing scheme had reduced the size of classes very considerably, tljero being now three limes as many classes under thirty-one ns there were in 1932, and one-tenth as many classes over sixty as there wore in the same year. . . On the question of staffing the Minister said he was quite prepared to admit that undue changes caused a great amount of inconvenience in schools, and he was hopeful that this would be minimised in the future. An attempt to remedy the position had been made recently when a condition was included in the regulations that a teacher must stay two Decembers in one school. It had been urged that it should not be necessary for a teacher to be transferred from school to school in order to gain grading marks; but it should bo borne in mind that an infant mistress, for example, was paid a salary because she was an infant mistress, and therefore a specialist in her work, and not because she happened to be Miss Brown or Miss Smith. Dealing with capitation grants, the Minister said that when the economy measures were enforced the position ot the primary schools was taken into consideration, and no reduction was made. Moreover, a sum ot £3,000 was allowed to education boards to vote to schools where special circumstances arose. The expenditure on school committee allowances in 1931-33 was £104,516; in 193334, £104,2)8; and for this year £lOl,000. It appeared that there would be a further decrease in the future on account of the tailing off in school attendances. It was a lact that there would be attending schools in 1936 6.000 fewer children than there were to-day. .. .. A member: To what is that attributable!-' The lowest birth rate?

The Minister; Yes. Another member: Has not the exclusion of the live-, year-olds something to do with it! J (Laughter.) .Mr Masters said he proposed to ask Cabinet to grant an additional sum this year for the purchase ol niateiials lor handwork in the schools. Referring to the employment ol teachers, lie defended the pohey adopted bv the department, and said he was satisfied to accept the views of the teachers rather than those ol the Ra ml wick School Committee, whereever Uandwick happened to be. He hoped that in 1937 there would be no unemployment among teachers. He had no regrets about closing the lour training colleges, and as soon as hotter wages could ho paid to the teachers they would he paid. ... Replying to other points raised by the deputation. Mr Masters said he was confident that the interest taken in the school committee elections this voar was duo to the alteration made, in the term of office. He thought it was realised that continuity ol policy was desirable.