POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18673, 30 September 1922, Page 5

POST-PRIMARY SCHOOLS

MINISTER OUTLINES SCHEME. EDUCATION CONFERENCE IMPRESSED. (Pee United Peebs Association,) WELLINGTON, September 29. The Hon. (J. J. Parr, Minister of Edncaiion, whoso absence. troiu tho Lmicatiou Boards’ Conference had been adversely commented on by some members, attended! to-day and delivered an address on junior high schools which considerably cleared tho air. He explained that they were to deal with children of from 12 to 14 and to make schools more fit for the children. He laid groat stress on tho fact that tho primary schools wore all behind hand with their work. Tho children were taking till 14 to got through tho Sixth Standard. He quoted at length the opinion of Mr T. U. Wells, M.A., of Auckland, who was stromrly in favour of the now system. “This better allocation of years of instruction has to come about whatever you say, gentlemen,” "stated tho Minister. 1 would like to go round and thump a little sente into people myself.” Ho continued to say that Mr Wells, from what he saw of tho classes in America, claimed on their behalf that they were fully justified, and he had confidence in recommeding similar classes in this dominion. If classes were commented they would not be confined to three centres, but there would probably be one in a city, one in a town with a population of Id,ooo or 12,000, and the third in a country area where the concentration of pupils would be easily possible. There was a- great deal of overlapping in the primary schools to-day. Voices: We know that. Mr Parr, continuing, said that no modem democracy could afford to let children leave school at 13 or 14 years' of age. With any idea of the responsibility they held for the efficiency of,the children and of the dominion, legislature .had sooner or later , to raise tho compulsory age for completing'education to 16 years.: lie had practically got Parliament’s authority to hiakc ; the onango now. His problem had been to deal with this extra year on to children's education. It would he a shortsighted policy to add a short extra course at the end of the present primary course. At the etld of-15 years they wanted children to have a complete course of education as far, as-it went as many of them would not go ’- ort to senior secondary schools. Their problem was to face this necessity, Fears of it were illusory. The system could not go on until all were satisfied it was in tho interests of the children. They must get rid of the idea of vested interests in education. The solo object must be to put forward tho best for the children., ' He hoped they would consider it: from that aspect solely and help forward this progressive movement instead of attempting to block it. That a fair trial should bo given for three years ,in three schools was a fair proposition. All that was wanted was a Now Zealand system, not one slavishly following some other country.— (Loud applause.) One member said that had Mr Parr able to give his'views earlier a lot of friction would have booh avoided. '.Another later on said that the Minister’s statement indicated d change of front", which, if made earlier, ■ would have averted all criticism levelled at the scheme as at first explained. It was now not the same as the original suggestion. The Minister was heartily thanked for his comprehensive summary of the position.