EDUCATION REFORMS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 139, 14 May 1936, Page 3

EDUCATION REFORMS

TEACHERS’ RECOMMENDATIONS. BROADENING THE SCOPE. WELLINGTON, May 13. Proposals for the drastic reorganisation of tlie education system of the Dominion we tie placed before the New Zealand Educational Institute by its executive committee yesterday in the form of recommendations brought down in a report following four days’ deliberations by the committee. The president, Mr G. E. Griffiths (Invercargill) presided. Mr C. W. Boswell (Ivawakawa), moving the adoption of the first section of the report—the clause relating to the school-leaving age—.said the report would be regarded in time as a historic document. As brought down by the executive, a recommendation made was that the leaving age be raised to 16 years, without exemptions, but the speaker asked as a concession to practicality that the age be reduced to 15 years. He emphasised that he sought the amendment with reluctance, because he felt, along with others, that 16 years was not too high an age. The amendment was agreed to. A further recommendation was made that maintenance allowances he paid in cases of hardship. Mr M. Riske (Wellington) unsuccessfully moved the addition of the words “during the last two years at school.” On the motion of Mr E. L. Combs (Wellington), the meeting adopted a recommendation suggesting (a) the establishment of nursery schools where a sufficient number of children were offering; (b) the establishment of nursery classes in conjunction with the public schools where tlieie are enough cniidren to warrant the provision of necessary apparatus, but iiot of separate schools; (c) establishment of child guidance clinics in the cities and larger towns; <d) establishment of a staff of itinerant child guidance advisers, with headquarters at the clinics, whoso advice and services would be free to those desiring thorn ; (c) establishment of provision, in conjunction with the nursery schools ami clinics, for the dissemination of inlorination regarding child welfare. It was lurther recommended: (a) That special provision be made for all physically and mentally defective children ; (b) that provision be made for full and continuous dental treatment for school children up to the end of the primary school course; (c) that “follow-up” treatment of children for defects diagnosed by school medical officers should he provided, such treatment to he compulsory. The adoption of the foregoing was moved by Miss M. E. Magill. An amendment by Mr Riske to clause 2 to provide for dental treatment for children up to the age of 15 was carried. EDUCATION FILMS. The educational value or cinema films was empnasiscu rn the following ltcuilimcntlatiuii, llle atlopUon ol wnien was muveu by -uiss <j. vi. Parts (Wellington): “mat, in view ol too rapid smuts being made in me edncat.oiial cinema m omer countries, the Education Department be asked to laeihtate its nuioduction into the primary schools ol i\ew Zealand.” Mr E. F. Snell (Auckland) described a film circuit already operating among a group or Auckland schools, wilicii liau a pool of oO or 00 limits on educational subjects. The Director of Education asked if the teachers desired the cinema as an aid to teaching, and on receiving a hearty affirmative answer, stressed me necessity of an adequate supply of films. He observed the use ol this form of visual education in Britain and Australia. It was generally agreed to-day that the 16 m.m. “non-Ham” film was the most suitable. Teachers were mainly of opinion that the silent film was the better lor general lessons and that the sound film was of value for giving a background to a subject. Miss K. B. Turner (Wellington) moved (a) That the system of free education be further extended by means of bursaries, and that a more equitable manner of distributing these between town and country scholars be devised (i.e., a limited number ot bursaries carrying a boarding allowance similar to those granted to training college students); (b) that bursaries for training college students remain as at present; (e) that provision should he made whereby those deserving students showing very special ability and qualities of leadership can be granted students’ loans either to complete their University course in New Zealand, or to pursue a postgraduate course overseas; (d) that where facilities are not available for country children to obtain locally the type of education suitable to their needs, travelling and boarding allowances be provided. “We are not aiming at free university facilities for all;” said Miss Turner in explanation, “but we are seeking an extension of existing bursary provisions.” “We have already doubled the education vote in the last two days,” said Dr. W. J. Boraman (Otago), in objecting to elauso three. He added that the country received doubtful value for expenditure on certain scholarships, because many students after studying abroad were unable to find positions in New Zealand and had to go elsewhere. This clause was rejected and the other three adopted.