TECHNICAL EDUCATION

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14167, 15 September 1906, Page 2

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

PROGRESS DURING 1905. [lrion Gun Corrhsx'OXDexx.J WELLINGTON, September 14. Dealing with manual and- technical education the annual report of the Education Department relatesthat satisfactory progress continues to _be made by the controlling authorities. “Much remains to be done,” says the report, “but the larger technical and art schools are, as far as available funds and other circumstances will allow, slowly but surely becoming instiI tutioas worthy of the important work I for which they are designed. During the year provision has been made by the Government for the erection and equipment of buildings in several centres which hitherto have been without , any adequate facilities for manual and technical instruction, and in which a well-grounded demand for such instruction has been manifested. On the whole it may be said that good use has been mads of the facilities provided. Especially has this been so in the case of the central schools for the instruction of school children in, cookery and woodwork, which are now in operation in several education districts, A feature of the year’s work has bfen the successful establishment in certain centres of day technical classes. The_ formation of these classes is the direct outcome of the provision made by the Government for free technical, education. There is little doubt that these classes will-have a distinctly beneficial effect on the work of the .evening classes, if only for. the reason that graded courses of work rather than isolated classes are an important feature of them. The sooner those in charge of technical classes are able to see their way to break away altogether from the idea of the class for thus dr. that subject, and to substitute therefor the idea of graded courses adapted to this or that industry or pursuit the sooner will the technical schools be in a position to fulfil their proper functions to a greater extent than is now possible. It is gratifying to note _ that in spite of the many real difficulties in. the way the efforts now being mad© in this direction have not been altogether without avail. In the larger centres especially not a little has been accomplished in the way of providing more or less complete courses in technical and electrical engineering, and in plumbing and other subjects connected with the building trade.” The number of technical, continuation and school classes recognised during the year under the regulations for manual and technical instruction was 3945, as against 2599 for the previous year. Of the classes for 1905, 3041 were classes for instruction in various forms of handwork in connection with over 850 primary and secondary schools, while 904 were special associated or college classes for instruction in various subjects of science, art and technology. Technical classes were held at about 55 different places. As regards school classes th© subjects of cookery for girls and woodwork for boys are receiving considerable attention. During the year 192 cookery classes and 177 woodwork classes were in operation, while at the technological examinations of the City and Guilds of London Institute 31 public _ School teachers passed th© examination in cookery and 50 that in woodwork. There is still only on© education district in which school classes for dairying have been carried on. It is hoped that the movment now in progress in various parts of the colony, in the direction of procuring facilities for instruction in subjects pertaining jto agricultural and pastoral pursuits, will accelerate th© establishment _in other districts of classes, for instruction in a subject that has such an import- ! ant bearing on the welfare of the comi munity at large. In this connection, it is pleasing to be able to record a . considerable increase in the number of ‘ classes in connection with public schools for practical instruction in elementary agriculture. During the year, 102 j classes in ten education districts were I recognised, as against 47 in six districts in th© previous year. Several Education Boards have also takbn stops'to appoint special instructors, in ■ agriculture, whose chief work, at first, at all events, will be the training of teachers and the supervision of th© practical instruction in the schools.

Education Boards have been enabled, by means of Government grants, to continue to arrange for special training classes for teachers in th© various forms of hand work suitable for public schools. On the whole, the arrangements made have been satisfactory, and the classes well and regularly attended. The curriculum of the training colleges in the four large centres also provides for training in hand work. Over 1000 persons qualified for free instruction at technical schools under the regulations. This number, which is greater by 200 than that for 1904, will, it is anticipated. bo nearly doubled in 1906., Under these regulations, it is possible for pupils,, at the conclusion of their public school course, to receive fre© technical instruction for five years. They are thus enabled to proceed without a break from the primary school through a fairly complete technical course with advantage both to themselves and to their instructors. The total expenditure by the Government on manual and technical instruction for 1905 was £34,775 10s lid.