EDUCATION COMMISSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 18 June 1912, Page 5

EDUCATION COMMISSION.

AN INSPECTOR'S EVIDENCE

BY 'L'ELEGBAPH —PEESS ASSOCIATION.

DUNEDIN, June 17

At the Education Commission Mr S. M. Park, secretary of the Otago Education Board, expressed the opinion that the number of returns required from teachers and boards was excessive. In the dominion 6450 hours of the teachers' time was occupied in making unnecessary returns. The grant for free school books should be abolished, as 75 per cent, of the children still provided their own hooks.

Mr C. E. Richardson, Chief Inspector of Schools, said that during the last 12 years the increase in the cost of education had been as follows: Primary, 75 per cent. ; secondary, 238 per cent. ; university and higher' technical education, 158 per cent. ; industrial schools, 180 per cenl.; special detif, blind, and defective schools, 366 per cent. The cost of technical education had increased ten Fold. The policy of the Department in regard to primary education had been progressive, and in the main the administration had been in the direction of increased efficiency. The finances of secondary schools had been rendered mors stable, and an avenue had been opened to a large number to whom it would otherwise have been closed. If the agricultural and rural course was to produce full effect, provision must be made for the appointment of a thoroughly-qualified teacher to' each school. Th© salaries of the first and second assistants should be materially increased. rJRhe system of professional teaching at training colleges needed remodeling. Tie Department should take immediate steps to increase the supply of teachers. The present training colleges were inadequate to cope M'ith the work, and if auxiliary institutions were established for, say, three years, the difficulty. would be overcome* The witness condemned the present basis of payment of teachers, and said that teachers were not well enough paid. Child labor existed to a degree in Otago that required looking into. It was mostly in the towns.