SYSTEM OF EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20256, 16 May 1929, Page 11

SYSTEM OF EDUCATION.

REORGANISATION .URGED.; SMALLER CLASSES WANTED. SECONDARY TRAINING COURSE. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Wednesday. Important changes in the education system of New Zealand were proposed by a special committee of the New Zealand Educational Institute, which reported to the conference to-day. The report contained the following recommendationsr (1) That, as the educative process is continuous, the New Zealand system of education to the end of the secondary course should be under the control and direction of a single authority for each determined area. (2) That the first essential to any system of reorganisation is a roduction of the sizes of classes in primary schools. (3) That the education system of New Zealand be reorganised with recognition of the following stages: (a) 3-5 years, kindergarten; (b) 5-11 years, primary; (c) over 11 years, secondary. (4) That the following principles be accepted for the first stages of the secondary course; (a) That from ago 11 to 15 no specialisation in the direction of agricultural, commercial or industrial education be attempted, but that period bo recognised only as exploratory to determine the aptitude of tho pupil, (b) That curricula provide for the operation of a variety of differentiated courses to enable a bias to be given to pupils' tastes, (c) That to enable the system to function to the best advantage, the following organisation be adopted:—(l) For large towns separate schools be established; (2) For smaller towns district high schools be utilised; (3) In the country districts consolidation bo effected and district high schools established. (4) That provision bo made for transference to university entrance course at an early age of those children showing an academic bias. (5) That the elimination of overlapping courses now in operation in high schools and technical schools be effected. In presenting the report Mr. de Berry, Otago, said the question was one of tho most important that the instituto had had to face for many years. The first consideration they had was that of tho child, the second was that of society. On clause 3 Mr. Jackson moved: That the word "plus" bo included after the figure 11 in relation to primary courses. MEETING NEEDS OP PUPILS. SCHOOLS OF DIFFERENT TYPES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. The following remits were passed at the conference of the Technical Schools' Association to-day:—That the time is ripe for a reconsideration of the whole system of administration of primary and postprimary schools. That schools of different kinds should be established wherever possible, to meet the various needs of pupils and of localities. That all schools should be co-educational and, if the population does not justify the establishment of two types of post-primary school, a school of a technical high school type should be first established, but should offer an academic course for pupils up to 18 years. That where post-primary schools cannot be established owing to the small number of pupils, the principle of the district high school should be extended so that pupils above Standard IV. are included in the post-primary department. That post-primary pupils should be brought to a central school from surrounding schools.