JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1929, Page 12

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOLS.

Not only in Taranaki is a little impatience being manifested in regard to the amended educational policy which has been promised by the Minister (Hon. H. Atmore) since he took office nearly eight months ago. It did not take Mr. Atmore very long to be convinced of the necessity for improvement in the results obtained from the general system of education. Hi has made it clear that in Ills opinion teaching in this country must be of a nature that will create a. bias towards husbandry among the majority of the pupils, that local administration requires concentrating, and that there must be more vocational and less academic teaching throughout the schools of the Dominion. In regard to the broad principles underlying these aims there has been little difference of opinion among educational authorities, expert or administrative. But when. it comes to an indication of the policy that is to bring about the desired results the Minister has been very cryptic and cautious. In some of his utterances there seems to have been an indication that he sees in the extension of junior high schools the • way to the goal, he seeks; in othersJic seems to be inclined to increase the scope and teaching Qf the primary school. The Taranaki Education Board has now asked for a definite statement from Mr. Atmore as to his future policy and the reasons supporting whatever proposals he may have to make. The board is fortunate in having among its members a recently, retired inspector of schools of wide experience (Mr. J. A. Valentine), who has just returned from a world trip during which he viewed educational systems and efforts in other countries from the expert’s standpoint. The senior inspector on the board's staff (Mr. N. R. McKenzie) has alsojiad the great, benefit of travel and direct observation of the work of teaching in other lands, and is able to frame his advice to the board accordingly. It cannot be said~ that either Mr. Valentino or Mr. McKenzie gave unqualified support to the junior high school system. If it is to be good it will be very expensive, and if they are not of the best quality as regards staff and equipment junior high schools are better left alone. The class of school most favoured was one that has been established at Matamata. and seems to fill the. gap between the lower standards of the primary schools and the specialised classes in secondary. But while accepting the Matamata junior high school as a type that might be adapted for use throughout New Zealand, Mr. Valentine was careful to add that many well qualified primary teachers maintained that given better staffing and equipment they could obtain equally wood results in the primary schools. It will be seen, therefore, that the problem is not a simple one. Expense must enter into the serious consideration of Ministerial policy, and even more important than prudent expenditure is the insistence upon obtaining the right results from New Zealand's scholastic system.