EDUCATIONAL REFORM

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXXI, Issue LXXXI, 15 May 1920, Page 4

EDUCATIONAL REFORM

IMPORTANT PROPOSALS OUTLINED. t»r TELKCBAPH —PSEBB ASSOCIATION.) WELLINGTON, May U. Addressing tiie .ttdueation Ooaieience,. the -.Hon., v. J. Favr (Minister of- Education^ outlined important proposals regarding, educational reform.

Ttte Minister, wiio was accorded- a. most enthusiastic hearing, said- n& d«aired to introduce a number of subject* for a iull and tree discussion- with r-efeF-ence to. educational reform \n- isew"Zea~ land. He. wislied to take advantage of tile presence ot'all the inspectors^ and. representative teachers from, all over .New Zealand to discuss important' mat-' ters whish came within tiieir own peculiar province. He wanted them, specially to discuss the question of recasting the whole syllabus of instruction, with the object of providing, for—(a) The-termination of the primary school course at approximately5 theage of 12 years.

(b) Tiie preparation of. pupils for admission to tne secondary schools atthe age of about 12 years. (c) The establishment of centralschools, at which pupils who do- notproceed to seconttacy sohoola js Vill continue their education after passing, the^ primary stage. i (4) Further instruction in a Brimary school for^ say, two years; cf pupJs who completed the* primary school course im. localities, where^ theestablishment of central schools would be dessiable. (c) £L scheme of. continued-daylight^ edacatioa to, say> the age-of 18i?. The Minister, proeGeding^said all the-w<a-ld o\rer leading educationalists-were advisrng.a: recasting of the- whole grim- - ai-y-'system of education on the lines ho indicated. Such proposala obviously meant -mo?* schools and more teachers,. but that was no reason- why,, if itmeant,.exp.ease, New Zealand should lag behind-i the; rest of. the* world. They' could carry* oca from twolre to fifteen years with at post elementary course In most country schools. Im cities, of course,.there*siteuld be-Doodifficuby. He was.- afsaid many, children lost.». lot of tiaife! under our Eucbk- standard course aa; it" at. present eadsfced,: Elsewhere they, were cutting;ddwa the elementary courses and starting^, eecondary course •at the age of ieLjears.' It was held tKat knowledge- of; Cithe three R's" should H«: rooted' andJeafeblished by the ageof IS. He quoted^merotiß authoritie^aiiraad as ehowiH^fch* trend of ediicatioji? reform, and Tin this connection he specially emphasised the importance o* establishing eeutrat •chools. People atffome, heobserveff/since the war had 'beera taking hold of problem with Both hands. Were-we not lagging behind!? What" he"wanted' to hear them specially discuss-was the esSablishinent of elementary schools for children between six and twelve, intermediate schools for children between, twelve and sixteen not attending see^ ondary schools, and' secondary schools for children Between twelve and eighteen. The Mfn&ter; in concfuding his address, saidthe opinion 'of %c leading aducationalist^ m Australia • (|sEr Prank Tait) was tiat" unless they frankly recognised' thW elementary education ended at 12 years of ago a proper development of the ■ intermeoSate and higher educatfon- was impossible. * After discussing the Minister's scheme the conference carried the following resolution: "That' the whold< syllabus of instruction be recast with tKe object of providing for: (1) The termination of the-primary school course at ; mately the age of twelve yearsV<2) Khe preparation of'pupiTs for admission to ■ secondary schools at the ageof twelve; (3) the establishment of central schools, whereat pupils who d* noir proceed to ■ secondary schools will be able to continue their education to the age bf six-" teen:' r .