EDUCATION POLICY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 140, 15 May 1936, Page 2

EDUCATION POLICY.

CONFERENCE DECISIONS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 14. The New Zealand Educational Institute to-day further considered the subject of intermediate high schools. An amendment, moved by Miss McGill (Wellington), was carried that further extensions of the movement shall not preclude the carrying out of urgent reforms overdue in primary schools. At tile Technical Schools’ Conference, the committee set up to consider schemes for educational reorganisation, with special reference to the recommendations of the Atmore Report, reported recommending the conference to approve of the general principle that the primary course terminate at. Il years of age plus, or after passing Standard 4 if the children are then given the option of attending either a junior or technical school, such schools to form a department of the senior school and to be under the control of the School Board; also, pending the adoption of this system, that children be permitted to attend post-primary schools at the beginning of the yeai following their 16th birthday. Ihe following recommendations were also adopted: —That the association strongly support the school leaving age oi' 15; that the association is strongly opposed to a hard and fast type of separated intermediate school, the unification of control of all schools .under district education boards, ,<jnd to a single inspectorate for all schools; that the association support the introduction into post-primary schoois of sciences calculated to promote more interest in basic industries; that the association endorse the view of the recess committee criticising the tendency for scholarship tests to be unduly* loaded on tbe academic side; that the department be urged to investigate the question of providing training for trade instructors with a view to securing a combination of both teacher-training and trade experience, and that facilities be provided for training technical school teachers in each of the four centres; that the association considers the conditions of the university entrance examinations should not be such as to deter students of technical schools. A standing committeo is to be 6et up to keep the question of reorganisation under review, and to meet m Wellington as required during the coming year.

TECHNICAL SCHOOL OFFICERS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 14. The Technical School Teachers’ Association elected the following officers to-dav :—President : Air L. R. R. Denny (Christchurch); vice-presi-dents' Messrs H. M. Scott (Auckland), R. G. Ridling (Wellington); secretary and treasurer, Air V. Evans (AVellington); auditor, Aliss Copping; execulive, Messrs G. W. Drake (Auckland), G. A. Thompson (Wanganui), G. G Hancox (Palmerston North), Aliss b’ A. Jackson (Wellington), Aliss C. g! Robinson (Christchurch); representatives on Teachers’ Appeal Board, Alessrs H. A. Jones (Auckland) and G. AI. Keys (Christchurch).