EDUCATION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17502, 19 December 1918, Page 9

EDUCATION.

NEEDS OF THE TTME&

THE MINISTER'S REPORT.

In his review of the education field in his annual report, tho -Minister (the Hon. J. A. Hanan) outlines • much-discussed principles of reform.

Pho total expenditure by the Education S, o^ for tho vcur 1917-18 was £1,809,187, an increase of £119,480 over tho expenditure for the previous year. If to this expenditure is added the" income derived by secondary schools and university colleges from reserves (most of which was expended), and a sum exponded by tho JvLines Department on schools of mines, the total public expenditure on education amounted to £1,895,000, or £1 13s per head of the population. Tho corresponding figures for New South Wales is £1 Os 5d Uip expenditure on university education); Victoria, 193 IOd; Queensland, £1 Is 3d; United States of America, £1 18s. Of the total expenditure 75 per cent, was on account of primary education, 12 per cent, on account of secondary education (including technical high schools), 4 per cent, on account of university education, 3 per cent, on account of industrial and special schools, 4 per cont on account of technical education, and 2 per cent on account of tcaohers' superannuation and miscellaneous charges. The expenditure on primary education per head of roll number -was £7 7s 2d, excluding new buildings, and £7 12a 70, including these; tho expenditure on secondary education per head of the roll number was £14 0s 7d, excluding new buildinss and reserves revenue, and £18 5s 4d i:i"iuding them. 'Of the expenditure of £1,366,000 by the Government on primary education, £597000 a acoou i . nt <> f teachers' salaries, and *um,WU was for the g-eneral administrative purposes of education boards and allowances to school committees. The sum of £50,000 represented the expenditure on new school buildings and for the rebuilding of such when necessary. The cost of the inspection of schools amounted to £26,000, and of the conveyance of scholars and teachers' and board of the former to £28,000. Out of the sum above stated expenditure on medical inspection and physical ' education amounted to £8000. Included in the,total expenditure on eduoaton is ihe sum of £58,000 expended on social agencies,, such as the work of infant life protection, the juvenile probation system, and schools.for the blind, the deaf, the feeble-minded, and for dependent and delinquent children. • COUBSES OF INSTRUOnON.. Most of the difficulty surrounding the question of curricula, syllabuses, orcourees of instruction would be found to be much easier of solution if the human side of tmngs were kept more clearly in view It has just been .emphasised that in the schools we are working on human maijeriaL J us t as necessary is it to remember that in their turn tiie children m the schools shoidd be Tl? tf ° SBI J m J*** ™th human interests. All true education » the play of. life upon life; of ihe activities of the child on the activities of We; hence the great import anco of such snbiects as English, civics and history, geography, singing, and a study of Nature, not only in the primary,!** in . the. .secondary schools aid in the Universities. If all the ourrioula%avl flue recognition to subjects of real human interest and vaWjmany forms of study nfhoted on pupils by mere tradition would ;ivq -way to something better; and the proportion of tune given to remaining subiccts would be drastically revised. For nstanoe, recent events show the necessity or a more general knowledge of physiology, jtemperanoe, and home nursing

LEAVING SCHOOL, TOO SOON. Erom the classification lists and from those of prevoua years, it appears that 84 Sf < t ihe of Standard 1 reach standard V aad only 69 per cent, reach btandard VI, eo that approximately 41 per cent of the pupik of primary schools leave school without doing the work of btandard VI. From returns supplied bv Education Boards, the number that leit school in ISI6 without passing Standard - 1 , was J 427 ' heux S 2944 boys, and 2483 girls. The figuree, . thougli a little lower tuan they were in the previous year, afford little ground for gratification. Whereas in New Zealand a child may leave eohool at the age of 13 if he has obtained hie certificate of proficiency, or at the age of 14 otherwise, the English Education Act provides for compulsory ruii»ime attendance at school until the age of 14, irrespective of 1 the standard of education reached COUNTRY . SCHOOLS. Nearly oae-tand oi the oimaren of the dominion are taug.at.in sole-ieacuer or twotuacuer schools, in wJiicb, nearly all the unctiitiuoateU leachere aie ono-iourth oi the adult teachers in .New nuaiiuiu are unoettuicattja, ami to u. nugu exteuD unuaineO. Alruoat without exception, to toese teachers is given the responsibility of teauiung ctmaren in tue country, where' of aU places, the very uesG eaucauonal iaouiues saouid be giveu in order to mate up as far as possioiu lor tno.maiiy special disaavaatages under wiiicli tlie oounwy onildien labour m companaon ivitii cue omldrea of the cities. It is nopwl to xnake some improvenient in these couu i nous by oonsoiioaung small schools, by tiscablislung model sooools lor the traming oi inexperienced teachers, by appointing experienced organising teacners w> vise groups ot smau scnoois, by a iau-er distriDonion of uncertiiicated teachers among town and country echooJa, and by providing inoreased iacihties for the training oi teacners, aad better inducements to young peopieeto enter the teaching profession. VOCATIONAL 'IUauMJNU.

Whiie we keep in view the need for technical and vocational education, we must first consider the good oi the children.- ana youtas concerned. Iff would be a greai iiuacake to regulate and orgamse classes, aiiow too eaxiy specialisation, and Unm studies with a view to securing immediate industrial returns at the expense ot the true and full development ot the children. 'me main consideration must be to train each child to think for himself—to develop manhood, imitation, self-control, and siuii torough citiatmsiup and. worn., ami tnun rely on. educated workers to meet the neuds ot the community in a way that is found to be beneficial both to tncmserves and to others. 00-QKTHNAHON. Though the human element must be ths pmuommating factor in education, there is eevertheless need for, scouring a proper amount of 00-ordination of ed'i/i'C between the diitoreiiv agcnciea and authorities engaged in the educational field. One ot the. greatest difficulties in Hie way of making the most elfeccive use of our educational resources, and of providing for an adequate extension ol those resourecfl, ie the lack of full coordination between kindergarten, primary, secondaryj technical, and university education. Various controlling bodies are engaged in the administration of each of these rajiohes, but only in an indirect and often inadequate way is it possible for the Educa-' tion Department to act as a connecting link between them. Even within the separate, spheres just mentioned there is considerable loss of efficiency through divergence o£ aim and method as well as through overlapping of power and responsibilities. On the other hoed, many matters are left to local initiative wbioh cannot be dealt with except in a oomprehensivo national manner. Thus there ia not only overlapping and waste oi effort, but there are many ga.-s which need to be filled. The whole process of •administering the educational system under present conditions is most tedious end defective, and leads at times to a considerable amount of negotiation and dissatisfaction, even when all concerned are endeavouring to make the best of the conditions permitted under the eysPAKENTMi NEGLECT. Of the 204 chikiren caargod during tho year as not being under proper control, or accused or found guilty of punishable, offences, 166 were boys. The increase in juvenile delinquency is duo mainly to the early emancipation of the child from the honio influences, and to the utjter indifference of some parents aa to the welfare of their children. At present the streets are the evening schools of many of our young people. The excitement and allurements of the streets and places of public entertainment arc often sought in preference to the sordid or monotoiioua conditions in the home. The lack of comfort in the home, and tho failure of tho parents to hold tho interest of ohiktren, are all factors in accounting for tho large number of children who come before tlw courts every year. It is estimated that at least 75 per oent. of tho boys referred to above were street traders prior to admission, while the passjon for tho picture shows probably accounts for a large proportion of tho remaining cases. Such publio attention has been drawn by social workers, teachers, and others to tho pernicions influenco that casual trading in the streets, and too frequent attendance at piotare shows, has on tho mental and physical condition of school children, that it is hoped the necessary legislation wlwch lias been prepared to meet this condition of affairs will bo introduced and passed at tho next, sessiaa of Parliament.