EDUCATION SYSTEM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23321, 13 October 1937, Page 7

EDUCATION SYSTEM

RESTORATION OF FACILITIES THE GOVERNMENT’S POLICY MINISTER’S ANNUAL REPORT (From Our Parliamentary Reporteri WELLINGTON, Oct. 12. “The year 1936 has been marked by the restoration of educational facilities that were reduced or withdrawn during the previous years, and also by the extension or the introduction of other educational facilities,” states the annual report of the Minister of Education (Mr P. Fraser), which he presented in the House of Representatives to-day. The report reaffirms the educational policy of the Government in the following summary:— Readmission of five-year-olds to public schools and extension of kindergarten training. Extension of teacher training facilities to provide the necessary staff for smaller classes.

Rebuilding and reconditioning of old unhygienic buildings. More liberal supplies of equipment, including adequate library facilities.

Extension of dental treatment to all school children. Standard rates of pay for all teachers who were under the rationing scheme. Right of appeal against non-ap-pointment. Improvement of standard of teachers’ residences.

Dealing with the educational legislation of the last session, the Minister states that the discontinuation of the proficiency examination removed from the system an examination which for more than 30 years had exerted a strong and generally restrictive influence on teaching. “ Special attention has been given throughout the year to the educational interests of country children, the report continues. “ The consolidation of small rural schools in a larger school conveniently situated for this purpose has been encouraged wherever possible. The advantages of consolidation are briefly that the children are taught in larger and better staffed schools which, because of their size, are able to provide for country children educational facilities approximating to those of the towns. Wherever schools have been consolidated the transport necessary to bring the children to the school centre has been arranged, and in all some 65 conveyance services for these and other schools were established during 1936. A number of school buses have been built in railway workshops or are under construction.” Listing other improvements in the system the Minister mentions the increased provision for the payment of boarding allowances, the larger grant for the encouragement of agricultural clubs, the arrangements for providing radio equipment at concession rates, the doubling of the supply of handwork material, ,the grants for the conveyance of country post-primary pupils, the small increase in the grant for the incidental expenses of secondary schools and the increased provision for bursaries.

The report also includes reference to the large increases in the grants for school buildings, and states that as far as possible new primary school buildings are being erected on the open air principle. This type of school, especially in its most up-to-date form —detached classroom — is now generally recognised as the best for promoting the health of the children.