REORGANISATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6889, 20 April 1929, Page 8

REORGANISATION OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS

MORE DATA WANTED. Per Press Association. TIMAEU, Last Night. In connection with tho controversy in which tho principal of Marlborough College, Blenheim, has come out as tho champion of the depapitation of the primary school and the mass transference of standards V. and VI. pupils to existing secondary schools, Mr A. _E. Lawrence points out that the committee was invited to report “whether tho curriculum provided for standards V. and VL should be modified, as in junior high schools, to provido for tho earlier commencement of subjects that have heretofore been studied only in the post-primary course and whether it is possible, without additional expenditure, to provide these courses.” The minority report furnished an estimate of the cost of tho junior high school scheme of re-organisation proposed ,in tho majority report but since , these figures havo been questioned by the new Minister of Education, it would be most helpful, in view of the fact that the reorganisation of the n, education system on junior high school lines involved the mas 3 transference from primary to some other type of school of something like 42,000 pupils in standards V. and VI. (or one fifth of the primary school population of New Zealand). If the principal of Marlborough Collego would produce a comprehensive statement, setting out the total capital expenditure on land, buildings, furnishings and equipment (giving details of classrooms vacated) the scale of staffing and annual cost and increased incidental allowances and other payments involved in providing a mere handful of scholars with junior high school facilities at Bleuheim. The primary school syllabus revision committee, Mr Lawrence explains, as ; the name implies, was not invited to • report on the quality and object of secondary and technical education, but tho minority ‘ Toport strongly recommends that before the reorganisation or disorganisation of the present system, involving tho status of tho primary school, is contemplated, a thoroughly representative committee should be appointed to report on the quality, object and cost to tho Stato and parents of pupils of secondary and technical education in New Zealand and that recommendation has found very general endorsement throughout New Zealand. Moreover, it is contended that, if the staffing, accommodation and equipment arrears of tho primary school aro overtaken find the new syllabus given; a. fair trial, the revitalised and well staffed primary school will do all that is required and mako that portion of our education system more in accordance with New Zealand’s traditions and circumstances.