INTERMEDIATE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 219, 12 April 1933, Page 2

INTERMEDIATE

NEW SCHOOL SYSTEM Gradual Development MINISTER INDICATES POLICY An important indication of policy concerning the establishment of intermediate schools in the Dominion, in accordance with the provisions of recenf y enacted legislation, was made by the Hon. R, Masters, Minister of Education, in an interview in Auckland.

For financial reasons, said the Minister, it would bo impossible for his department to make the change and to apply it simultaneously in each of the nine education board districts'. In his opinion, there was no doubt about the advantages to he derived through the adoption of the intermediate school system, and the change was being made wherever an opportunity , presented itself. A certain amount of progress had been made. Recently he had opened officially a new intermediate school at Napier, in which case the replacement of accommodation destroyed by earthquake enabled the change to be made with no additional expense. Similarly, in Wanganui, one of the existing primary school buildings had been utilised for intermediate school purposes, and the primary school children diverted to neighbouring schools. In the. Shirley district, at Christchurch, a new intermediate school was to be erected shortly, and in that instance the building of the new school was to be the alternative to providing money for the erection of additional accommodation at three neighbouring primary schools. In (he latter case an additional capital out- I lay would be necessary, but it would prove to be the more economical arrangement in the long run and would not delay unduly what was considered ] to be a much-needed reform. I “No extensive system of rcorganisa-1 tion can be tackled at the present | time,” added Mr. Masters, “but grad- j ual development will take place on the , lines already indicated. It will be seen, j that three different methods of meet- ( ing the necessities of the position j have been outlined.” j