EDUCATION REFORMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17103, 7 September 1917, Page 6

EDUCATION REFORMS

PROPOSALS BY MR HANAN. (Fbom Oub Own Cobbespondent.) ; WELLINGTON, September 6. The Minister of Education (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) outlines the following proposals in his annual report, which proposals, he states, are under consideration :— An extension of the regulations governing free places to provide for free education at technical classes related to industrial occupations and for a higher scale of payments to technical high schools. Tho establishment of a system of agricultural bursaries to provide for the training of future instructors and experts in agriculture. . A fuller revision of the primary sohool syllabus in tho direction of making it more helpful to less experienced teachers and of securing greater thoroughness in primary education.

bureaux to advise and assist boys and girls. on leaving school as to the best means of , securing employment suited to their capacity- , . Improvements in the course of instruction for free place holders in secondary schools. ' particularly with regard to English, civics : and history, mental arithmetic, domestic science, and agriculture Provision for a moro complete inspection of secondary schools. i Tho establishment of departmental corre- , spondence classes for uncertificated teachers. The standardisation of school buildings. Among further matters that have been under review or aro ready for action when t:;e necessary authority, legislative or financial, is given are: — Fuller provision for tho extension of compulsory continuation classes, possibly to be held in tho daytime. Provision for tho consolidation of small schools into larger central schools. An increase of capitation for schools with an average attendance of less than nine. A readjustment of the capitation grants for technical high schools. Tho supply of school materials. A moro satisfactory and business-like system of dealing with funds provided for the maintenance and rebuilding of public schools. A temporary increase in the allowances to school committees for incidentals. An alteration in the electoral system of appointment of members to represent urban and rural districts of educational boards. Tho establishment of small observation schools to provide some means of preparation for untrained teachers before they enter on the work of teaching and the establish-, merit of a travelling dental clinic. Many of the above proposals and some of those already initiated cannot for the present be developed so fully or so rapidly as could have been done if the teaching staffs of all typos of schools as well as the staffs of inspectors and other directing officers had not been seriously reduced owing to the enlistment of teachers, inspectors, instructors, and other officers. In fact, it is only by great effort that the schools can be kept going at all, and this renders the present time unfavourable for tho introduction of many or great changes.