TECHNICAL TEACHERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10640, 13 July 1920, Page 5

TECHNICAL TEACHERS

PROVISION FOR TRAINING IMPORTANT STATEMENT BY MINISTER FOR EDUCATION. “The Education Department,” stated tho Miuistcr-in-Charge, the Hon. C. J. Parr, to a "Times” representative yesterday, "is preparing some new regulations dealing with tho training of technical school teachers. At present wo train the primary school teachers, but there is no specific train ing for the important subjects of technical instruction in all tho technical schools. It must he recognised that tho technical instructors not only _ require to know , plumbing, building, electric engineering, and so on, but should also have an adequate knowledge of English to enable them to give a clear exposition of principles, and of the sciences which form the basis of their calling; as well as some pedagogical training and knowledge of economic conditions.

"It is proposed by a system of capitation to finance student-t each fish ips for the purpoeo of encouraging young people during the later stages of technical instruction to take a special course with a view to becoming ultimately teachers in the technical institutions. . Tho system will apply, not only to ordinary subjects, but also to domestic science. Without infringing on the province of the. Homo Science College, at Dunedin, a great deal can be done in the technical schools in the way of training our girls to become teachers in home science—cookery, laundry work, and so on.”

“We reqfiire these girls everywhere,” concluded the Alinister, “and have now no means of training them, except by sending them to Dunedin for a four years’, course; but the earlier portions of this course can, I am satisfied, bq taken in the local technical schools.”