EDUCATIONAL MATTERS

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 14191, 13 October 1906, Page 8

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS

?THB .TENDENCY. 7•" GRANTS EOR: buildings. STATEMENT BY THE MINISTER. - (From Ocr Correspondent.] WELLINGTON, October 12. .■-In .the House of. Representatives this if ter noon, the. Hon.G. Fowlds, MimsSir of Education, made an important itatement in regard'to educational mat-, lers; He was replying to criticism \hat had been .'levelled at the Department by members. of the House. ’-‘ Some of the -difficulties in regard to Bie" syllabus,” he said, “ have arisen . from the fact that changes have been ' made, frequently to suit special cases, t do not- propose this year to put forward a syllabus of my own. I-propose at- the earliest possible moment, to go thoroughly through the syllabus of my Department, and eatly next year, when the two-yearly conference of inspectors is: held, : I shall have proposals ready for discussion. We will find then where - are.-the* loose screws that are making ihe syllabus give most satisfactory; results in some places and unsatisfactory results in others. When the House ’meets. next year the results of the conference will be placed before the Education -Committee, and I hope we will then get the syllabus into the very b6st shape. The matter of over-crowd-ing will be borne, in mind. The Department gets claims 'for new buildings from all parts of the colony, and they have to.be very carefully considered in order that: money may be. made to go as far as possible on-a-fair basis. T quite recognise the difficulty in regard to the present system of grants for new buildtrigs 'and' for additions to present buildings; and, as a -member of the Education Committee last year, I was very anxious to get some automatic system that; would regulate grants. I should hpw be very glad if any person can submit such-.a scheme as - will-be just to the State.’ : It is . absolutely necessary, while thb state, is finding the money, that the utmost care should he exercised arid;the utmost inquiry made before grants are-allowed. I see no way of avoiding that except by an extension of the • principle of local government, so that interested localities would be responsible for raising a portion of the money to be expended on a school. Then it would be simplicity . itself for the Central Department to subsidise liber- ' ally the money raised locally. As long as : the . Education Boards have no re•ponsibility for raising the money it mil 'be necessary' for the Department to. make: careful inquiry in every case before large sums of the colony’s money are handed over for expenditure on buildings. Now, in regard to this charge of - centralisation, the position w: that we have proposals continually from.. members rof ■ the House for changes, :and-in: almost every case a response to the request means more centralisation.. There was a practically universal demand for a colonial scale of salaries. .That'meant centralising at one', fell,swoop ia , very .important part of.’the Jvqrk of: education. No one can deny that the introduction of a colonial shale of salaries meant centralisation. Following that we had the demand for teachers’ superannuation, another big afdpiin‘centralisation.; ; These changes iirid the extension of riianual and teohjiidal iristriictiori, have of necessity jrieant centralisation iri the shape of de- • rrianda for detailed information from the Central Department. Unless the Parliament of the colony is prepared to Sind : out money without'knowing how . ft risdo be-used,: simply , giving so much toveach. - Board to . spend- as it pleases, I'don’t see) how it is possible to get along without .central control.. Membereand School. Committees are urging that; the should .provide.a driifpymj off school books; in other words, "it is asked that another power should' be" taken but Of the hands of the-Bdards-arid placed in the' hands of the Central Department. It is unfair to say * that the Department is alone . responsible for .the centralisation that liae taken'place. The changes to which I. have .referred .have .been forced upon the Department from-the outside.”