EDUCATION DEPORT

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 223, 16 August 1930, Page 6

EDUCATION DEPORT

PROPOSED CHANGES IN ADMINISTRATION.. Compiled by Messrs W. A. Swinbourn, L. J. Plank and D. C. Pryor, ns a sub. committee appointed by the Manawatu branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, notes and comments on the report of the Education Commission have been forwarded to the “Standard” by the local branch of the N.Z.E.1., and will be of interest to our readers. The observations made represent the views of the Manawatu branch of the N.Z.E.I. . I “Reports of recent meetings of school committees seem to indicate a fear,” states the report of the special sub-committee, “that the proposal of the Recess Committee will further limit the powers and finances of the committees. That this is not so is clearly indicated by a perusal of the section of the report dealing with administration. “After traversing the present position in which almost all the powers of the local educational authorities have been transferred to the central authorities without denuding the local bodies of their administrative offices and staffs, the report points out that the country is paying dearly f<jr this unnecessary and cumbersome duplication of work: So much is this so that in New Zealand administration expenses amount to 9s 2d per pupil, whereas in New South Wales the cost is 5s 4d. In comparison with Victoria the difference is astounding. There the cost of administering 2645 schools is £46,766, whereas in New Zealand with 2/99 schools (approximately the same) the administrative costs are £117,826 9s 2d per pupil as against 4s. “The committee expresses strong disapproval of any attempt to completely centralise the administration of education, being convinced that the public of New Zealand would rather bear the burden of the extra cost of the present system than change it for one of bureaucratic control, however much cheaper the latter may be.” “After considering many schemes their recommendation are briefly as follows: “The whole country to be divided into 18 districts with centres at Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, New Plymouth, Palmerston North, Wanganui, Gisborne, Napier, Nelson, Christchurch, Timaru, Greymoutli, Masterton, Blenheim, Oamaru, Dunedin and Invercargill. “In each of these districts there is to be a board which is to have control of all schools (primary and post-pri-mary) in its area. There is to be complete unification of the administration of all types of schools under the board's jurisdiction. “This means that the present system of high school and technical school boards is to be abolished in their present sense. This step the committee considered absolutely essential to its scheme and the reasons are very clearly set out in the report. “In place of these boards it is proposed that each post-primary school shall have a school council with certain well defined functions. In this way it considers that they will be given every opportunity to maintain the characteristic individuality and the best traditions of their schools. “Primary schools will retain tlicir committees as at present and it is recommended that everything possible should be done to enhance the prestige of these committees and to strengthen their position. “The powers and responsibilities of school committees and councils will cover all matters relating to the care of grounds, buidings and equipment of. schools, the provision of libraries, playing areas, swimming pools, assembly halls, and all those almost innumerable things which create about a school that atmosphere and that tradition without which it is a formal, lifeless thing. “It is definitely recommended that the allowance paid to school committees should be increased and adjusted so as to provide adequate funds to meet essential requirements and that subsidies on moneys raised locally for school purposes should be on a generous basis. “It is quite clear then that in the event of the recommendation becoming law the committees and councils will gain rather than lose by being entirely relieved of useless and unreal powers; by being in close contact with their local board; by having very real and useful functions allotted to them and by being treated more generously in the matter of finance.’’ Submitted by the local branch of the N.Z.E.I. PROPOSALS FOR COMMITTEE.

The main proposal of the report, says the local branch of the N.Z.E.1., is to terminate the primary school course at the age of about 11 to 12, the pupil on passing Standard 4 commencing a course at an intermediate school from which he will proceed to a secondary or technical school or at a suitable stage leave to go to work at the age of 15. The main function of the intermediate school is to determine aptitudes and be a guide to both pupil and parents. The exploratory courses 2>rovided will reveal the bent of the pupil towards a professional career, a trade, or in some other direction. AVhere pupils are fitted to benefit by it and parents desire it, free places will be available for further full time education at secondary and technical schools, and the present scholarship funds amounting to some £16,000 per annum will be utilised to assist by way of bursaries those whose circumstances would otherwise force them into employment at 15 years of age. For those whose intention is to go to work as soon as the law permits (15) the intermediate school will provide special tuition in order- to fit them as far as possible for their intended vocation. A 7 arious types of intermediate (or junior high) schools are proposed to meet the requirements of different localities. In large towns there will be separate junior high schools drawing their pupils from the present standards 5 and 6 in the town schools. In smaller centres the position of suitable exploratory courses in existing district high schools, with additional staff equipment, will enable them to perform the function of the intermediate school. In some localities it may be more convenient to attach the junior high school to the primary school and in others to the present secondary or technical school. In country schools further consolidation will be effected so that pupils may be brought together in sufficient numbers to enable the investigation of aptitudes to be undertaken. The changes foreshadowed have already been on trial for some time in other countries and the largest New Zealand junior high school (Kowliai) has been in operation for nearly eight years. The experience gained there and in the seven other junior high schools is sufficiently encouraging to lead to the conviction that the solution of the difficulties lies in that direction. It is believed that the intermediate school will be" able to determine at or before the age of 15 whether pupils will benefit most by subsequent academic education or technical education, or whether either would be n waste of time and effort. Presumably free places at secondary or technical schools would be granted only to those whose ability showed distinct promise of their capacity to benefit by such higher education.