TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19148, 14 October 1925, Page 12

TECHNICAL EDUCATION.

- ——-sSn*— —-■* JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS, COMPLAINT AS TO COURSES. A report from the principal, Mr. G. J. Park, with regard to junior high schools caused considerable discussion at the meeting of the Board of Managers of the Seddon Memorial Technical College last evening. The chairman, Mr. It. S. W Ring, presided. A conference of principals of secondary schools, stated the report, had seemed to

show that the heads of the various schools in Auckland were not satisfied that it was advisable for pupils to spend three years at the junior high schools before entering the secondary schools. The experience* at the Technical College had been that the Kowhai Hi.!-'}. School did not prepare children tor any of their courses at the college, except the science course, which was similar to those of the ('.rarmnar Schools, Even for the science course the preparation was imperfect. Owing tho the variety of the courses offered by the college, and the impossibility of Kowhai providing similar course's, pupils completing three years at Kowhai must lose a year if they later transferred to the college. The principal of the Kowhai school, continued the report, could not undertake that his pupils would ever be so prepared in the modern courses that they might fntcr second vcar classes in the college. Two sources for the board's dissatisfaction were mentioned: That the pupils should thus lose a year, and that the bestpupils of the Kowhai school were encouraged to take academic courses, still further augmenting the list of entrants to the professions. Ihe college authorities had understood that the school would increase entry into the trades. It was decided to ask the Education Department for further information.