EDUCATION REFORMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 664, 16 May 1929, Page 8

EDUCATION REFORMS

CONTINUOUS AND SINGLF CONTROL INSTITUTE’S SUGGESTIONS WELLINGTON'.” Wednesday. Important changes in the education system of New Zealand were proposed by a special committee of the Nex Zealand Educational Institute, which reported to the conference today. The report contained the following recontmendations: (1) That, as the educative process is continuous, the New Zealand system of education to the end of the set. ond try course should be under the control and direction of a single authority for each determined area. (2) That the first essential to any system of reorganisation is a reduction of the sizes of classes in primary schools. (3) That the education system of New Zealand be reorganised with recognition of the following stages: (a) 3-5 years, kindergarten: (b! 5-11 years, primary; (c) over 11 years, secondary. (4) That the following principles be accepted for the first stages of the sec ondary course: fa) That from age 11 to 15 no specialisation in the direction of agricultural, commercial or industrial education be attempted, but that period be recognised only as exploratory to determine the aptitude of the pupil, (b) That curricula provide lor the operation of a variety of differentiated courses to enable a bias to be given to pupils' tastes, (c) That to enable the system to function to the best advantage, the following organ isation be adopted: (1) For large towns separate schools be established; (2) for smaller towns district high schools be utilised; (3) in the country districts consolidation he effected and district high schools established: (4) that provision be made for transference to university entrance course at an early age of those children showing an academic bias; (5) that the elimination of overlapping courses now in operation in high schools and technical schools be effected.

In presenting the report Mr. de Berry, Otago, said the question was one of the most important that the institute had had to face for many years. The first consideration they had was that of the child, the second was that of society. On clause 3 Mr. Jackson moved: That the word “plus” be included after the figure 11 in relation to primary courses.