TECHNICAL EDUCATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10898, 12 May 1921, Page 9

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

DIRECTORS IN CONFERENCE .REMITS CONSIDERED AT YESTERDAY'S SITTING. ■ AGSXCTJT/FtjRAL EDUCATION. Tie annual conference of 'directors of technical education was continued yesterday, Air T. Scott, of Dunedin, presiding. It was decided to ask the department to admit holders of Standard VI. competency certificates free to. technical .schools in all courses. Conference approved of a remit urging on the Government that travelling allowances be made by the Education Department to manna! and technical' instructors, according to public service rates. Other requf&ts are to he made for the , supply of stationery and school requisites at cost price, to all schools; and the "School Journal” free-of cost to technical schools for the use of any pupils -working for the fifth and sixth standards ; the provision of typewriters for-technical schools; and for the amendment of manual and technical regulations so- as to include payments for the coat of conveyance in one direction to manual training centres when the journey in the other direction is made by rail- ... Other remits were adopted as follow : /'That conference reaffirms the desirability—(a) of the Minister for Education's scheme for remodelling the primary schools' syllabus so as to terminate the primary course at about the age of twelve years; (fo>> the establishment of junior high schools in which may be begun, preparatory courses in—(i) secondary subjects (in addition to the subjects at the primary schools' course), (ii) provocations! subjects; (c) the establishment of sender high schools, teaching—(i) subject* with a view to preparing students, fpr entrance to a university as in present secondary schools, (ii) vocational subjects as in present technical high schools-" "This conference expresses its regret that neither the Education Department nor the Agricultural Department has issued details of an approved system of agricultural education for the Dominion.” "This conference reaffirms: (i) That the Department of Agriculture should establish farm schools in. the closest possible vicinity of technical or secondary schools, and in any other .part of the country where the demand for practical farm training for boys justifies such e&i tablishments; (ii) that at such farm schools, in addition to training in all branches of practical farm work, 1 instruction should bo given in English, history and. civics on general lines, in elementary science and mathematics bearing directly on farm work, and in subjects such ae farm carpentry, saddlery, concrete work and iron Work; (iii) in admitting students. to - farm schools, preference should he -given to those who have satisfactorily completed at least a two years' course in agricultural science at a secondary or technical school.” "That the Government he urged •to provide technical colleges with areas of land sufficiently large for agricultural instruction ou a practical scale.”— Christchurch, "Ponding any wide reorganisation of onr system of educational administration, it is the opinion of this conference that the administration of any technical school where there is an organised day school, should he placed in charge of a hoard specially appointed for that purpose.” The Mayor (Mr It. A. ‘Wright) addressed the> conference on educational matters. Whatever economies the Government might effect, he said, he hoped the grants for education, and technical education in particular, would not he cut down. He strongly emnhasised the importance of technical education in meeting world competition with other rations, and expressed the opinion that Now Zealand had lagged behind too long in the matter of technical education.