SCHOOL COMMITTEES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22650, 15 August 1935, Page 10

SCHOOL COMMITTEES

FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES BETTER TIMES ANTICIPATED , (Per United -Press Association) PALMERSTON N., August 14. The annual conference of the Dominion Federation of School Committees was commenced to-day, Mr A. Roberts (Auckland) presiding. The delegates were accorded a civic reception. Mr Roberts, in the course of his presidential address, said that school coramittee work had been brought face to face with problems that beset them at almost every corner. Financial difficulties had left'a trail blazed by the axe of economy, and the primary school system was feeling the full force of the blow. It was still too much to expect that committees’ allowances'would be increased to enable tliem to balance ; their budgets and so relieve, them of having to go cap in hand raising money by all means imaginable in order to meet accounts that would ordinarily be paid if the capitation'grants were sufficient. He was confident, however, that , a new era was dawning in prim ry school work and that many reforms would be seen in the not far distant future. Mr Roberts added that, in spite of all That had been said, malnutrition existed to-day ’ among school children in a greater degree than four' years ago. He trusted that free milk in schools would he made a matter of national importance, The Government would earn the gratitude of thousands of homes if it gave a lead in the alleviation of malnutrition. A fesolution was, adopted urging that the Government should take complete charge of the text books as an important phase of .primary education, and it was decided to ask the department trf prepare the subject matter Of the new issue, retain the copyright, and call tenders for such books on the expiry of the present contract in 1937. The conference urged the synchronisation of primary and secondary school holidays. It was decided to ask the Government to restore the optional admission of five-year-old children to the primary schools. . ' - ■ The staffing question and the overcrowding of classes were regarded by the conference as serious problems requiring urgent attention, and'it was decided to ask that the basis of grading and staffing should he determined on the roll as At September 15, instead of on the average attendance, as at .present. The Minister is also to be asked to make provision for increases, in the teaching staff so that the number of children per* teacher shall not exceed 35. , -

Regarding the length of life of school committees, it was decided to give v the present two years’ system a fair trial before ..passing comment. The need for a revision of the whole system as it affects primary and postprimary education was urged in remits presented by several associations, along with a suggestion that the Government should form a national board of education representing the 'Government, the teachers, the education boards, and the school committees. The conference set up a sub-committee to report on the proposals. s ’ Increased capitation grants to school committees are again to be urged on the Minister, the conference reiterating its concern at the disparity shown between the amounts allocated to the primary schools (6s 6d per pupil) and secondary schools (32s 6d per pupil). The suggestion to the Minister is to be that the capitation be increased to 70 per cent, of the amount given to the secondary schools. The conference also urged the reinstatement of subsidies on all moneys raised locally for school purposes and that the grant to education boards for the maintenance of buildings be substantially increased. No decision was reached on a remit urging the desirability of appointing women inspectors. An animated discussion took place on the subject.