TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 May 1931, Page 3

TEACHERS’ INSTITUTE

CONFERENCE DECISIONS.

[PER press association.]

WELLINGTON, May 12.

The New Zealand Education Institute opened a conference yesterday. Addresses were given by the President (Mr H. F. Penlington), the Minister of Education (Mr Atmore), and Mr T. B. Strong (Director of Education).

Mr Atmore spoke of the handicaps imposed by economy, and mentioned that the salary cut was unavoidable for the time being. The following re? mits were passed: —

That in anticipation of the return of favourable financial conditions, the Institute urges the Minister to make legislative provision for giving effect to the principal recommendations of the Education Committee’s report. It is particularly urgent that before any commitment is made, the administrative control in each area should be unified. That the Institute strenuously pose the placing of forms one and two children under the control of any but a primary Education Board, or completely unified primary, secondary and Technical Education Board. That the meeting opposed the piecemeal introduction of the changes mentioned in the recess report, its reasons being that stated in the report itself. “No reforms have ever been accomplished without a struggle, and the committee does noit expect its recommendations to meet with universal approval. What it wishes to make clear is that its individual recommendations are integral parts of a complete scheme of reorganisation. They cannot be put into effect piecemeal.” The conference adjourned until today.

CLASSES AND STAFFS. WELLINGTON, May 12. The Education Institute to-day carried the following remits: —That all post-primary classes and schools be staffed on the same babis. That in view of th© fact there arcso many classes of over fifty pupils per teacher in primary schools, the Department be urged to reconsider its decision not to appoint additional assistants this year. K That the Institute protest agains; the action of the Department in compelling the formation of unsuitable classes in order to reduce classes below th© requisite quota of sixty.

TECHNICAL SCHOOL TEACHERS

WELLINGTON, May 12. In the course of his presidential address to the conference of tfie Technical School Teachers’ Association, Mr. H- A. Jones, made the point that, from tfle view of national efficiency, expenditure on education was never more needed than now. It is the duty

of the Government, he said, to invest for the future. There is abroad, a spirit of panicky retrenchment, and dangerous suggestions for the saving of expenditure on education have been made. Whether retrenchment was needed or not needed could not be determined by the mere size or the bulk of expenditure. Deprivation of postprimary education might bring ipto the market a greater supply of cheap labour, but the penalty would be paid in the future. The Technical Schools’ Association Conference decided that the Association should not take action for ends not of’ an educational nature. The original remit advocating political action was lost, and the word political was deleted.