TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1747, 30 August 1905, Page 17

TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION

THE TEAR’S PROGRESS.

INSPECTOR-GENERAL’S REVIEW.

Reviewing the position of manual and technical instruction in this colony, the Inspector-General of Schools, in a report presented to Parliament on Thursday, shows that considerable progress has been made by controlling authorities throughout the colony in the direction of improving existing arrangements and providing additional facilities for instruction in subjects of technology and of manual training. There is now no education district in which some provision, more or less adequate, has not been made for such instruction, and there are indications that in those districts in which the movement is most recent the local authorities interested in the matter will have no reason to regard their efforts as other than encouraging. Where it has been found that there was a well-grounded demand for instruction, the Government has provided the necessary funds for the equipment and maintenance of classes, as well as for buildings where the circumstances rendered special accommodation necessary. In many cases, local bodies and others have shown their interest in the work in a practical manner by contributing to the funds of the classes. Coincident with this evidence of local effort is an increase in the number of associated classes, that is to say. classes for technical instruction conducted in conjunction with the controlling authority by managers representing: the various contributing bodies. There is little reason to fear that classes established on these lines are likely to prove other than successful. The number of technical, continuation and school classes recognised during 1904 was 2599, as against 2287 for the previous year. Of the classes for 1904, 2001 were classes for handwork in connection with over 700 primary and secondary schools,

while 598 were special, associated, or college classes for instruction in the several branches of pure and applied art and science, and in plumbing, carpentry and joinery, cookery, dressmaking, and commercial subjects. While the actual number of technical classes was not greatly in advance of that for 1903, the returns show a great increase in the average attendance at them. For. 1903 the average attendance was about 6300, aud for 1904 about 13,700. Technical classes are held at about fifty different places. In many of the public schools all the standards received instructions in some one or other of the branches of handwork. In several districts arrangements have been made whereby the older pupils in the city and suburban schools receive instruction in woodwork and cookery. During the year, 156 cookery classes and 129 woodwork classes were in operation, while, at the technological examinations of the City and Guilds of London Institute, 102 public-school teachers passed the examinations in cookery and eightyseven in woodwork. In only one education district were school classes for instruction in dairying established. Increased attention is being given to practical instruction in elementary agriculture in primary schools. During the year fortyseven classes in six education districts were working under the act as against thirty-six for 1903. It is to be regretted that -there is not more evidence of a definite movement on the part of controlling authorities to arrange for the regular instruction in country districts of school-children, as well as of those who have left school, in subjects having a direct bearing on rural pursuits. With the co-operation and help of local bodies interested in agricultural and pastoral matters, controlling authorities-should be able*to see their way to arrange for suitable courses at convenient centres. If the classes were brought under the act, subsidy would be payable on the contributions of local bodies and others, and the classes would be eligible for capitation and for grants in aid of the necessary apparatus and material. The funds available from these and other sources, such as the fees of students, should suffice for the efficient carrying-on of the classes. As far as the training of the teachers of country schools is concerned,

there would seem to be no reason why Education Boards should not devote a proportion of the grants they receive each year for the training of teachers in subjects of manual and technical instruction to the maintenance of trainingclasses in rural science. In the case of the smaller education districts co-opera-tion on the part of the Boards should enable such classes to be placed on a satisfactory footing. _