EDUCATION REFORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17471, 15 May 1920, Page 8

EDUCATION REFORM.

J||jIMPORTANT PROPOSALS. I h ' RECASTING THE v SYLLABUS. m PRIMARY. 'AND SECONDARY WORK. -T*t% «rrv.-" ■ ■»- i ... - . . ■■• j *j N(»<;r:«n' ■• • "-" '•' "j V' ''**$$v 5 *V?'«■--'• ■'■' '~~ NEW MINISTER'S OBJECTIVE. ",: v (BT (TBUIGBJIPH.— ASSOCIATION.] fe i*H'iXi< : WELLINGTON, Friday.W

'Important; proposals in regard to edu- ' 'fcational • reform f .were outlined by;, tho for Education, the Hon. C. s J. : -""-Parr, when addressing the Education Con-to-day. The Minister, who was T . || accorded a moat enthusiastic hearing, Mid : ' : > he 'desired to introduce a number of ob- «■ jects to* full and 5 free discussion with -jpefersnce to educational reform in New' '• Zealand.,. He <wished to take advantage jhe presence of, all inspectors and representative teachers from all parts of Now .:$ -Zealand to discuss important matters "which oamo,; within their province. He ' - wanted them specially to discuss the question of recasting the whole syllabus of instruction with the object of providing . .for:— . ''-" .£* ' ; ,'.•■"• ;,.,: .;'!.i») The termination of the primary school course at approximately the age of 12 years. >\ ->v? ••>■• ■■>•- **»•■»*,. (b) The preparation of pupils for admission to secondary schools at the age , of about 12 years.. ,v-<, >..-•-« >; •' I .*«■*<■ i c ) The-establishment of central schools %'Ci*i- which pupils who do not proceed to ' secondary schools will continue their education after passing the primary stage. "" ■ (d) Further instruction in the primary school for, say two years, of pupils who completed the primary school course in localities where the establishment of central itchools would be undesirable. I ~'. (e) A scheme of. ccr.tinued daylight edu- - - cation to, say, the a| p. of 18 years. ~ r , Tho Minister,"- proceeding, said all the ' *- world over leading educationists were advising the recasting of the whole primary .......system of education on tho lines he had '-"..indicated. &j Such proposals . obviously . meant more schools sad more. teachers, . but ■ that was no reason why,' if it meant expense, New Zealand should lag

carry on from -the ago' of 12 to la yearn with 'a post-elementary course in most country schools. In the cities, of course, there 'should be no difficulty. He was v: j afraid many children lost -a lot of time '" under the sixth standard course as it at "'present existed, .; Elsewhere .they were "cutting 'down the elementary course and starting the secondary course at the age ■■■ of 12 years/! It was held that a know. ledge "of the - "three R's" should be ..rooted and jestablished by the age ■of 12 ...years. ■'■_< ■■ :■•';„\ \, ~ Sf ■■;, •- Mr. Parr quoted numerous authorities *f;-jabroad as showing the trend of educational >*/s reform,.and in this connection : specially emphasised the importance of establishing ' centra] schools. The people in England v since the war had been taking hold of the :• problem with both hands. Were they in New Zealand not lagging behind? what S|*B Wanted to hear them specially discuss was the - establishment of .'. elementary schools for children between the ages of six and 12 years, intermediate schools for v children between : the ages of 12 and ]16 |s years, hot attending secondary echoes, >;'• and secondary schools for children between : the ages' of 12 and 18 years. r \:- ; ' The Minister, in concluding his address, said the opinion of a Reading educationist in Australia, Mr. Frank ' Tail, was that ..-.unless.;.- they frankly recognised that t -elementary education' ended at 12 years of \ age the proper development of intermediate ~ and higher education was impossible.