EDUCATIONAL MATTERS

Otago Witness, Issue 3510, 21 June 1921, Page 25

EDUCATIONAL MATTERS

r . WELLINGTON, June 15. Iho first session of the new Council of Education opened to-day. The Hon. <J. J. l’arr (Minister of Education) stated that during the past 18 mouths an unprecedented amount has been spent on education, tho total being close on £1,000,000. Owing to financial stress the Government had called a halt so far as new buildings were concerned. The policy of the department would be to give preference to primary schools. He expressed the opinion that tho now grading and classification scheme for primary, secondary, and technical teachers would be acceptable to a great majority of teachers. The time had arrived when they must make a careful study of post primary courses of instruction and dangers in providing free secondary education for the masses, and must decide whether it is advisable to carry on along present lines. Mr J. Caughley (Director of Education) asked the council to consider fully the whole educational crisis. lie appealed to the Council to devote a great deal of attention to tho principles upon which the primary and post-primary courses of instruction should be based. He stated that New Zealand had taken up a great responsibility when it decided in favour of tic® secondary education. T hey had gone along other paths which might lead to dangeroua ground. The time had now arrived when they should take stock and see what was the real purpose of a post-primary course. The Council should now carefully consider the whole course of instruction which a child shall receive from the age of five upwards. He hoped the Council would he

able to systc matise its discussion to a greater extent than it had done in the past. He would like to see the conference devote a whole day to the discussion of the courses of instruction.