MODERN TRENDS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19454, 13 October 1937, Page 4

MODERN TRENDS

EDUCATION WORK REVIEW BY MINISTER MORE LIBERAL SYSTEM INCREASE IN BURSARIES PROVISION FOR ADULTS (Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, in the annual report of his department, gives details of the liberalising changes he has been able to make during his term of office, and the plans in prospect. He expressed the opinion that the discontinuance of the proficiency examination removes from the primary schools system an examination which, for over 30 years, has exerted a strong and generally restrictive influence on teaching. It is confidently hoped that teachers will take the opportunity they now have to plan for their pupils courses of instruction that will ensure for them the fullest benefit obtainable from their education. Special attention has been given throughout the year to the educational interests of country children. The consolidation of small rural schools in a larger school conveniently situated for this purpose has been encouraged wherever possible. Wherever schools have been consolidated, the transport necessary to bring the children to the school centre ha s been arranged, and, in all, (15 conveyance services for these and other schools were established during the year. Higher Education As regards higher education, the most important proposal was the decision to restore the award of university national bursaries from the beginning of 1937 on a higher-leaving-certificate qualification. In addition to this amelioration, the maximum amount payable under the bursary for university tuition fees would be increased from £lO to £2O. A number of boarding-bursaries of an additional £3O per annum will also be made available for those who are required to live away from home in order to attend a university or an agricultural college, and for those students who require financial assistance to enable them to undertake university education. The number of awards of homescience and agricultural bursaries tenable at university colleges had been increased,) and awards have been made of the newly-established bursary in fine arts. In the sphere of adult education, the grants formerly enjoyed by the Workers' Educational Association were restored, provision being made for the payment of £SOO to the asso ciation and £750 to each of the four university colleges to assist the association in its work. A representative jommittee of university, the Workers' Educational Association, and other organisations interested considered adult education with a view to reporting on this very important branch of education. The committee recommended the establishment of a council of adult education to co-ordinate •he work of associations. Text Book on Maori

Other organisations were at present concerned with adult education, and it was hoped to give effect to the committee's recommendation during the coming year. It was also hoped to increase still further the grant available for the Workers' Educational Association, adult education generally, and for extending the oenefits of the Workers' Educational Association to workers employed in construction work in isolated districts and living in public works camps.

It is intended to provide a text book on the Maori language for use in native post-primary schools, and ilso extra provision for material for manual instruction in native schools.

The regulations relating to native schools and dealing with the award of scholarships open to children of the Maori race will be amended to make provision for schojarships tenable in the final years of a postprimary course, and for additional scholarships tenable at post-primary schools and university colleges to provide vocational guidance to young people. The Education Department wiU appoint a specially selected male and female teacher at each of the technical high schools in the four main centres who will, to commence with, devote at least half their time to the duties of vocational-guidance officers. Such teachers will also co-ordinate the work of teachers in schools with that of the employment committees and employment branch of the Labour Department. It is intended to provide' an additional teacher in each secondary and technical high school in the smaller centres, as well as In intermediate schools to deal with vocational guidance. Physical Training

It is recognised that the film will become a valuable teaching aid in future, and to this end a conference will discuss all phases of visual education.

A conference of agricultural instructors will be called to enable views to be obtained to help in the fostering of the work of agricultural clubs and increasejthe value of the teaching of the subjects of agriculture and nature study.

Education board architects, also, will be asked to discuss every phase of school construction, equipment, and maintenance, particularly the several types of open-air schoolrooms.

The subject of physical education also will be discussed by a conference of experts, both from Government departments and outside organisations, with a view to arriving at the best methods of improving the physique of the school population.