FIVE-YEAR-OLDS AT SCHOOL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIX, 31 January 1936, Page 4

FIVE-YEAR-OLDS AT SCHOOL

WHEN the primary schools re-open on Monday next after the Christmas-New Year vacation it will be permissible for iive-year-old children to attend, as was the case before economy measures were deemed necessary. There had been considerable agitation for a reversion to the previous conditions, both by a large number of parents and by members of the teaching profession. The teachers’ attitude was criticised in some quarters because it was declared to have been actuated by selfish motives. This criticism was carried to extremes. Staffing and grading were certainly affected by attendance of pupils, and smaller attendances not only led to depletion of staffs, but also tended to increase the difficulties of the general unemployment problem. With the re-admission of the five-vear-olds these difficulties will disappear, and the re-opening of some training colleges has become necessary to provide for the adequate re-staffing of schools. There may be some difficulty at ihe outset in providing fully-qualified staffs and adequate accommodation, but the 'new Minister of Education (the Hon. P. Eraser) is confident that difficulties such as these will soon be overcome if everyone concerned co-operates. The Labour Party, before it was honoured with the responsibility of office, had promised to restore the right of five-year-olds to attend school and it is fulfilling its undertaking. At the same time the Minister has made it clear that the attendance of five-year-olds is still optional. Seven years remains the compulsory beginning age for the education of the children. There is little doubt that where circumstances permit, the re-intro-duced rule will be taken advantage of in the majority of cases. The education syllabus itself is quite adequate to deal with those of a younger age than seven years, and in the reversion to former conditions the inseparable troubles will no doubt soon adjust themselves