Educational Matters

Southland Times, Issue 19553, 6 May 1905, Page 2

Educational Matters

THE DEPARTMENT CRITICISED

(By Telegraph)

(From Our Own' Correspondent)

DUNEDIN, May 5

A meeting of the Education Boarc to-day passed the following icsolubions :—

That in the opinion of this Board the centralising tendencies of the Education Department are inimical to the work of education and that instead of Parliament diminishing the powers of Education Boards they should be extended on sound and economic lines.

That belter provision should be made for conveying children to central schools in sparsely populated districts.

That the ago limit of 14 years for qualifying for obtaining free .secondary education be extended as ‘far as country districts are concerned. That adequate encouragement should be given to induce our most capable youths to enter and remain in the teaching profession.

That in order to relieve the Department of those teachers who have passed their years of usefulness a superannuatioo scheme be passed by the Government.

The pupil teachers’ regulations were considered and it was decided to forward them to the Department for approval. The Chief Inspector, reported having conferred with the InspoutorGeneral, when alterations were agreed on. instead of one entrance examination there were now three. Those who began at the beginning on a four years’ course had to pass the Board's entrance examination ; those who entered on the Civil Service examination were appointed as third year pupil teachers (serving three years), and those who entered upon the matriculation examination served two years. Then there .vas a reversion to the old order, whereby a pupil teacher who failed twice in succession to pass the Civil Service examination was dispensed with.