PRIMARY EDUCATION

Taranaki Daily News, 29 August 1933, Page 9

PRIMARY EDUCATION

REQUESTS BY COMMITTEES BEMWS FROM ASSOCIATIONS. hwfkrence to many aspects. yag CONFERENCE CONSIDERATION. Among a lengthy list of remits for the conference of School Committees Associations of New Zealand to be held at Wellington in September are some of general interest to school committees and parents in Taranaki. From the South Taranaki Association a number of limits have gone forward. One proposes that the establishment of intermediate schools should be opposed by the Dominion executive. The reaffirming of' the. previous conference's request for a revision of school text books and that, the printing should be done under public tender is the gist of another remit. That a strong appeal should be made to the Minister of Education for increased capitation for primary school committees’ needs is another South Taranaki remit. It is also urged that a strong appeal be made for the return to the optional “five-year-old” school admission age. Owing to the withdrawal of subsidies South Taranaki also suggests that material for infant class work in district high schools should be supplied at the department’s cost. A limit of 35 pupils in any one class and that any in excess of that- number should be drafted to an auxiliary class is another suggestion. The depoliticalisation of the control of education is the subject of a remit from the Wellington association. It is proposed instead that a national council of education should be formed to have-com-plete control of all matters affecting the national system. To safeguard local interests the remit suggests the establishment of unified district councils oper+ing under the national council.

KINDERGARTEN SUBSIDIES. That the deficiency in the education system caused by the withdrawal of kindergarten subsidies and the exclusion of five-year-olds should be repaired at the earliest moment by the institution of a kindergarten department at each primary school where children of kindergarten age may voluntarily attend is another Wellington remit. A wider development of district high schools in the rural and semi-rural areas, with facilities for those children desiring to qualify in agricultural science and engage in rural pursuits, is sought in a South Canterbury remit. “The attention of the Minister should be drawn to the fact that in the reorganisation of the primary system of education by the establishment of intermediate schools in the cities; and larger centres the rights of the children and parents in the rural areas have been overlooked to a large extent,” states the remit. “As the bulk of the country’s revenue is derived from primary products it is considered there should be a wider development of district high" schools in rural areas.” Increased grants to education boards and committees .and the. provision of additional equipment and material form the substance of another remit. The grading of teachers in broad groups instead of in the present'numerical order, and a new salary scale to cover all types of teachers are suggested in another remit. It is urged that the scale be based on the principle of the payment of the teacher instead of the payment of the position, as suggested by the National Economy Commission. PURGING OF THE ROLLS. “That the purging of the teachers’ roll would be in the interests of education generally,” is a further South Tdranaki remit referring io teachers. The elimination of unsatisfactory teachers wouifi give an opportunity to many of the college students -to obtain positions and assist the promotion of more worthy teachers, it is considered. Another South Canterbury remit of interest to Taranaki expresses the opinion that there; should be no further consolidation of schools unless the Education Department guarantees the whole cost of conveyance of the children, independent of the special grants to such consolidated schools. The extension of the life of school committees to two years is advocated in a remit from Southland. That association also urges-the reinstatement of the subsidy on moneys raised locally for school ground improvement and requisites for school purposes. That the staffing of all primary schools should be based on roll numbers as at March 1 in each year instead of on the average attendance for the year ending in August, is a Canterbury remit. The conference delegates will assemble about the third week in September.