THE FINANCE ACT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21646, 17 May 1932, Page 14

THE FINANCE ACT

THE EDUCATION SECTION % STATEMENT BY MINISTER OF EDUCATION. Mr R. Masters, Minister of Education, has issued the following statement with regard to the educational section of the Finance Act, which was recently passed by Parliament; — RAISING OF THE SCHOOL AGE TO SIX YEARS (SECTION 33). The section amends section 56 (1) of the Education Act, 1914, so as to provide that no child can be admitted to school under the age of six years. It does not apply to any child under six years of age who has already been enrolled at a school. T'be amendment does not mean that it is compulsory for people to send their children to school when they are i six years old.' It only means that children may be admitted at the age of six. Section 59 of the Act deals with the compulsory attendance and re^ds; — Every child between the age of seven and the age of fifteen years is hereby required to have his name enrolled on the register of some public school, etc. The age 15 as being the upward limit of the compulsory period has never been brought into operation as the necessary Order-in-Council was never issued. Consequently in effect the higher age is 14 and not 15 years. Reference to section 56 of the Principal Act will show that no change has been made in respect of the upward limit of'the compulsory age. The statements to the effect that section 33 would cause children aged 14 to be forced out of the primary schools are without foundation m fact. It is common knowledge that children leaving the schools who are unable to obtain employment on account of trade depression have been advised to return and resume their studies rather than idle their time about the streets. PRACTICE IN VARIOUS PARTS OF BRITISH EMPIRE AND ELSEWHERE. Age of Whether compul- admission sory at- at an eartendance lier age Country is allowed. Years Yes England 5 „ Scotland ....... 5 „ Ireland (Northern) ,6 „ New South Wales .. 7 „ From February 1, 1932, no children under six , years of age will be admitted, it the increase in enrolment will necessitate the provision of additional accommodation. Years Yes Victoria .... .. 6 ~ , South Australia .. 6. „ Queensland .... 6 „ West Australia .. 6 » Tasmania .. .. 7 „ from Ontario .... 8 5 years Quebec .. *No compulsory provisions * Children between five years and sixteen are admitted free to school. New Brunswick 6& 7 years _ Tcs according to ■ if accomolocality. dation allows. Years Yes British Columbia .. .7 , ■ ,< Manitoba ...... 7. „ "Alberta , J » Saskatchewan .... 7 „ Newfoundland Fees arc paid - Orange. Free State .. 7 » Rhodesia Children are admitted at the beginning of the bait year in which they become six. Years Yes Poland 7 » Denmark ..... 7 . » Bulgaria J » Germany Not known Pupils are required to remain at school ■, for seven years, and .in some cases for eight or nine years. Years Yes Russia 8 There are)facilities for pre-school training. France 9 , Yes It a ]y 6 not known U.S.A The usual age for beginning compulsory attendance is still seven or eight, but the almost universal custom -at least in urban or serai-urban committees puts the child ■ into first grade at six years of age. EFFECT UPON SCHOOLS. The children below the age of six years represent about 9 per cent, of the school population. At the present time schools are graded as follows; — Grade School In average attendance 0 1-8 I 9-20 IT 21-35 Ilia 36-50 Illb 51-80 Hie 81-120 , and so on.

It will be seen, therefore, that the effect of the withdrawal of 9 per cent, of the children will not have the serious effect that ha's been stated. It has been represented that many Grade I schools will be closed, but this is contrary to fact. It should be noted that although the National’ Expenditure Commission recommended that all Grade O schools should be closed, the Government has decided not to adopt the recommendation, and each case will be dealt with on its merits. EFFECT UPON TEACHERS. The average retirement of teachers taken from official figures for the past sis years is at the rate of 560 per annum. It is extremely unlikely that any admissions to the training colleges will take place next year. It is not denied that there are teachers who are unable to obtain a permanent position at the present time. In order to assist them a rationing scheme has been instituted whereby education boards are compelled to give all unemployed teachers a share ot the work for the year. These teachers should receiye at least three or four months’ work dur-' ing the year. ■ The legislation recently enacted, cannot affect the staffing of schools this year since the schools are graded and staffed on the average attendance for the previous year. The full effect of the change will not be felt until the end of 1934. The change will necessitate the dismissal of some teachers, but they will gradually become absorbed by reason ot the fact that there will be a lesser number of students leaving the training colleges, and there will be the usual retirements. In the event of a school going oown in grade, a teacher will have the opportunity of securing another position. Twelve months is the period allowed for payment at over-scale rate, with the exception that in the event of another position being offered and declined the period of such payment is reduced to three months. SAVING EFFECTED BY CHANGE. When the full effect is felt the estimated saving due to the change will be about £120,000 per annum. _ , _ The National Expenditure Commission has mentioned the sum of £11,000._ This is represented by £2OOO capitation to education boards, and £9OOO capitation to school committees.

OPINIONS FOR AND AGAINST THE CHANGE. Many educationists and members of the medical profession are of the opinion that there should be no systematic form of education for young children until they reach the age of seven years. On the other hand, there are those who believe that earlier training should be given. The kindergarten system has never been a recognised part of the State system of education in New Zealand, although until recently a measure of financial assistance has been givenby the Government. It is regretted this assistance cannot be continued during the period of financial stress through which the Dominion is passing. Many authorities consider that children make more rapid progress when admitted at six than when admitted at five years of age, and, moreover, they do not pass through the standard classes at any later age than is the case at present. In Toronto, for instance, no child enters school under six years of age. There is, however, a kindergarten system. Records in possession of the Education Department reveal the following interesting information, which is in respect of the average time taken by all pupils between kindergarten or primary class and entrance examination (i.e., our proficiency), according to ages: — Those entering at four years of age took eight years and eleven months; those entering at five years of age took eight years and one month; those entering at six years of age took seven years and six months; those entering at seven years of age took seven years and two months; those entering at eight years of age took six years and seven months. ■ The following are some medical opinions in support of the change:— By Dr Arthur Newsholme, Medical Officer of Health, Brighton; examiner in State medicine to the University of London, etc.: —

. . . A study of the physiological considerations will indicate the absurdity of the attendance at school and teaching of children under seven years of age. ...

By Dr Jam medical officer to

the School Board for London: — . . . Schooling in the sense of purely teaching the three R’s is a folly between the age of six or seven. . . . Nutrition is the be-all and end-all of the child life before the age of seven, to which other things must be subsidiary.

By Milton J. Rosenau, professor, Harvard Medical School, etc.: —

... The child should not be sent to school too young. . . . Children should rarely be permitted to start school life until they have passed their sixth birthday. ... , Dr Ada Paterson, director of the New Zealand Division of School Hygiene, considers that six years of age is early enough for the average child from a good home to enter school. . . . It has been pointed out that children of tender years are more likely to contract ailments such as measles, chicken pox, mumps, etc., as soon as they commence school, and that if the age of entry were six instead- of five, they would be better able to withstand the effect of these complaints. Sir Truby King, writing upon the question of school age in the Dominion, under date May 9, 1932, mentions the paramountey of health, uninterrupted nutrition, and development and growth of the young child up to at least eight or nine years of age, and says, inter alia, that so-caHecl education must be subordinated to the needs of the brain and nervous system, if we are to attain, to the greatest results physically, mentally, norally, and in respect to development of personality and character. Sir Truby speaks in praise of the kindergarten system, and advocates the placing of children from four to. eight years of age in the care of the kindergarten schools. . The Open Air Schools League (Christchurch) passed 'a resolution in March, 1932, as under: — ’ln view of the fact that early entrance to school has no academic advantages and is undoubtedly prejudicial to health, the executive of the Open Air Schools League commends the suggestion of th<* Minister of Education that the age at which children shall be allowed to go to school shall be raised. The executive suggests that this age shall be fixed at seven years, The present compulsory age. . . .

PAYMENT OF OVER-SCALE SALARIES (SECTION 34).

This section is for the purpose of preventing any teachers—rprimary, secondary, technical, or native—from receiving overscale salaries for a longer period than ons year, and also to reduce the period.to three months when a transfer of position has been offered and declined. In unease of a teacher who has, already been receiving over-scale salary for one year or more the amendment provides that the excess salary shall cease forthwith. The section repeals section 79 (7) of the Education Act, 1914, under which payment of over-scale salary to primary school teachers has hitherto been authorised, and also overrides the regulations under which over-scale salaries for secondary, technical, and native school teachers are payable. Based on the amount expended in connection w-ith over-scale salaries during >e cent years, there will be a saving of £3OOO. Some teachers have remained in positions in receipt of over-scale salary for. as long a period as eight years, preferring to remain at a particular school rather than apply for another position. The legislation was promoted by the Government to give effect to a recommendation of the National Expenditure Commission, which it was decided to adopt.