EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL

Otago Witness, Issue 2947, 7 September 1910, Page 16

EDUCATION AMENDMENT BILL

ELABORATE PROVISIONS. EPILEPTIC AND BLIND CHILDREN. (Fbom Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, August 30. This bill, introduced by the Hon. G. Fowlds, provides for the addition to the disqualification clause in regard to members of boards and members of school committees within the education district In receipt of salary, fees, etc., as provided in clause 33. A .board may, how ever, reimburse to every member the expenses reasonably incurred and actually paid by him in going to or returning from any meeting of the board or of any committee thereof of which he is a member, or in making any official visit of inspection when appointed by the board to make that inspection. Some minor amendments in regard to national scholarships are proposed. The bill contains provisions regarding medical inspection. Any inspector or any teacher of a public school, secondary school, Native school, industrial school, or special school may make such medical or physical examination of the pupils of the school as may be prescribed by regulations, and may require the parent of any such child to give all reasonable information that may be necessary in pursuance of or in connection with such medical or physical examination. It shall be the duty of the parent of any blind or deaf or feeble-minded or epileptic child to provide efficient and suitable education for such child. If the parent of such child is deemed by the Minister to be unable to do so, the Minister may direct that such child be sent to such institution for the education of blind or deaf or feeble-minded or epileptic children as he thinks fit, or ho may at that time or thereafter direct that such child be boarded out with dulyqualified persons under such conditions as will secure that the child will receive proper care and be under efficient and suitable instruction, and t>ha said parent •shall contribute to the cost of the maintev nance and education of the child as may be agreed between such parent and the Minister. The bill contains elaborate provisions to enforce payment under this section, and there is further a provision for an extended period of instruction in certain cases, and provision for notice being given to the Minister as to blind and other children. Re the latter the section reads as follows:—" Every parent, teacher of a school (either public or private), constable, or officer of a charitable or kindred institution who is aware of the place of residence (either temporary or permanent) of a blind, deaf, feeble-minded, or epileptic child, and the householder in whose house any such child resides, is required to send notification of the fsict to the Minister, giving the name, age, and address of the child. and if any such person neglects or fails to comply with this provision such person stall on conviction thereof be liable to a fine not exceeding £l, or, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, whether relating to the same or another child, not exceeding £5." One of the provisions is for the inspection of educational and other institutions that are assisted from the public revenue. Orphanages and kindred institutions are also to be inspected. Technical high school means a technical school recognised by the Minister as a technical high school in which are held before 6 o'clock in the afternoon on five davs in each week for at least 20 hours in each week and for weeks in each year, special, or college classes recognised by the Misister under this part of the act. Capitation in respect of approved classes not being school classes or classes at technical high schools shall be not less than three halfpence, and not more than ninepence for every attendance. In the case of technical high schools there may be paid in lieu of capitation an annual grant of £lO in respect of each pupih or £ls in respect of each free pupil. No payment shall be made in rtepect of any pupil under the age of 14 years, nor in respect of any pupil who IB on the roll of a public school or ■econdary school. When in the case of a cl;-ss of r*** than 20 pupils in a country district it is shown to the satisfaction ti the Minister

taught, and further that the attendance j at such class is as large as could reason- : ably be expected, payment at the rate j specified above may be made as for a ; class of 20 pupils or such less number as the Minister, after consideration of the <ase, may determine. In computing the attendances at such schools it shall i not be lawful to enter on the register for j any special, associated, or college class, : except as provided by regulations under this act, the name oi any person under the age of 14 years, nor the name of any person on the roll of any public school, district high school, or secondary school. On the application of ft school committee an edptfation board may require the attendance gt continuation classes or technical classes of young persons above the age of 14 years within the school district who are not otherwise receiving a suitable education or who are not specially exempted by the regulations prodded that no such regulation shall apply to young persons over the age of 17 years. It is provided that the young person shall be required to attend a continuation or technical class if it is held beyond two miles measured along the nearest road from the residence of such young person, or to attend such classes for more than five hours in any one week or for more than 150 hours in any year. If any person fails to notify the school committee or the education board, in terms of any such regulation, in regard to any young person employed by him, or knowingly employs a young person at any time when his attendance is by any such regulation required at a continuation class or technical class, or for a number of hours which, taken with the time required under any such regulation to be spent at a continuation class or technical class, causes the hours of employment and one-half of the time" 6o spent to exceed in any week the period of employment permitted for such voting person by any act, he shall be liable to a fine not exceeding £2 and not less than ss, or, in the case of a second or subsequent offence, whether relating to the same or another young person, not exceeding £5. Tf any parent of a young person by wilful default or by habitually neglect- . ing to exercise due care has conduced to the commission of an offence under the last preceding subsection or otherwise to failure on the part of a young person to attend a class or classes as rermired by such , regulations, he shall be liable to the like penalties as aforesaid. As regards the retirement of teachers, termination by the board of the engagement of any male teacher on the ground that he has reached the age of 65 vears, or of the engagement of any female teacher on the ground that she has reached the age of 55 years, shall be deemed to be reasonable without regard to any other circumstances.