EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1921, Page 4

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTE

ANNUM. MKKTINIi

|BY TELEGRAPH—PER PRESS ASSOCIATION]

WELLINGTON, -Tan 3. The annual meeting of the New Zealand Educational Institute opened tonight, delegates from all parts of the Dominion being present.. Owing to the death of the President the executive submitted a statement on the educational position, and formally advocated (a) The extension of the school age to the sixteenth year, followed by continuation classes to the eighteenth year, assistance to he given to parents in neeessitious cases. (b) The co-ordination of the different sections of school work into a single coherent system. -(c) Medical and dental inspection, followed by medical and dental treatment, as a safeguard to the national health. (d) An improvement in the quality ot school buildings and their environment. (e) The securing of a, sufficient stafl of fully qualified teachers.

(f) The control of child labour from the point of view of the benefit of the child.

(g) The supply of all school requisites by the State ns a component part of the system of national education.

(h) The control of education in each locality hy local education committees, acting under the general direction of a national education board.

The Hon C. J. Parr forwarded a telegram stating that he hoped for an earnest discussion of some of the problems the primary schools have to face. The Government must find more schools and more teachers during the coming year, so as to reduce the large classes which were fatal to any system of individual treatment. The difficulties were serious. Many hoards could not get tenders only at ruinous rates, due to the scarcity of labour and material. He hoped to devise a- more satisfactory building system next year and see a further improvement in the conditions of teacher’s work.