THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF NEW ZEALAND.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8124, 28 March 1888, Page 2

THE EDUCATION SYSTEM OF NEW ZEALAND.

PROPOSALS PORITSIMPiiOVEMENT. [by j. j c.]' At tha present time there seems very little doubt there will be shortly be aoma radical changes in the administration of the Education Department. But whiie all the evHeneo taken before the committee last session, and all that his been written since in local prints, points to eirors and objectionable features to bo removed, I have bo far seen little or nothing proposed oa to what should ba put in tbbir place under any now organisation. It seems to have been the object of each witness and writer to find fault with the oxistinsr institution, but no one appears to have hid even the most remote idea oE any system which would take tha place of that one they so successfully blackened. On readin* the evidence as taken before the Committee, one is struck with the unanimity with which all condemn the administration of the Department through its off shoots, Boards, Inspectors, (Jommittees, and teachers. While agreeing in the main with all the Btrictures oE the witnesses, I do not consider we are justified in condemning an existing institution without having soraa opinion as to what method might bo adopted towards improvement. I therefore ask you to find space in your columns while I unfold a eystera which is my opinion, and I may say in that of other experienced j educationists will meet the requirements > o£ the colony far better and far cheaper than that at present in vogue. First, theD, all existing Acts, institutions, Orders in Council, and- regulations should be done away with. It may be easily proved that the functions of existing Boards and Committees are, at best, useless, if not pernicious, while the expense caused by their maintenance is out of all character with tho requirements of their worft. Bureau of Public Instruction. — In place of these cumbrous bodies the whole administration of affaire should centra in one Bureau, which should constantly sit in Wellington, and which should consist of tho Minister of Education, tha InspectorGeneral, 4 experienced educationalists, and 2 inspectors ; Inspector-General £500, inspectors at £350, lay members at £300 per annum. This body would hare entire control of the machinery of education, and would receive reportn and issue certificates and act as tho Supreme Court of Elucation. School Districts. — For the purposes of education the colony Bhould bo divided into districts consistent with electoral districts, and in each tho Bureau should appoint an officer, to be callad the District Patron, say at £75 per annum. Local Districts. — For local purposes there should be small districts, comprised inside a radius of fivo miles from existing schools, and as near as may be taking the place of local districts as now defined, over which the householders should elect one mm — to be called the Local Patron — (unpaid), on the fourth Monday in April. Local Committees as at present constituted have no power for good; either their duties are neglected, or real work is sacrificed to local squabbles. At present it is rare to see the best men in the district on the Committee, while should an obnoxious member be elected, rather than fight and quibble with him the good men resign, ;ib the game is not worth the candle; whila if men hold 12 meetings a year to adjudicate the spending of sums ranging from £8 to £40, so long will these men endeavour to find some cause for their meeting, and if they cannot do good will assuredly do ham. The adage about Satan and idle hands ia very applicable. Duties of Bureau. — The Bureau woald receive, expend, and account for all funds connected with education, 'administer reserves, receive rents,^ regulate examinations, appoint inspectors, classify teachers, organise training colleges, and regulate pupil teachers, &c. Inspector-General. — This officer would preside ,at Inspectors' conferences, and have general supervision over Government scholars, and in l he abssnee of the Minister take charge of Bureau. Insp£CTORS. — Under this eysten 10 Inspectors would be ample to do the work of tli9 colony. Of theso two 6hould always be in Wellington, and take seats at the Bureau. The eight should be constantly out six months at a time, four in each ißland. The whole Bhould meet every six months, when the two last in should go out, and those two longest out remain in. The districts of each Inspector to be changed, and the scheme of exitniuation and questions to be adopted for the noxt period to bo agreed to. When in tho field Inspectors should only take results ani make reports, and transmit to headquarters. All comments, averages, passes, &3., to bo made up in Wellington by the Bureau, and issued under its authority. District Patron. — Thia officer being nominated by the Governor in Council should be one thoroughly conversant with the geography of his district and take an interest in education for its own sake. Under the new Electoral Aot there would be 75 for the colony, but in towns two or three districts could be under ouo officer. Fie would prepMG lists of all children in his district, their ages, and th ir distance from existing schools. He would receive communications from "district patrons, " and sanction expenditure of emergency moneys. He would recommend the building of new schools and tho repairs of old. He wonld meet and accompany the Inspector in his visits through the district, and point out wants and requirements, and see tint examinations were conducted according to regulations. He would enquire into disputes, and generally obtain information and report to Bureau. Local Patron. — This officer would combine in his person the locul committee as now existing, heing appointed to do the work, it would bs done. He would take action under the District Patron, assist the teacher in bis task, report any matter requiring immediate attention to the District Patron, keep up an interest in the school amongst the people, smooth differences, attend examinations, and assist in the selection of suitable teachers. Tkaohing Staff. — All schools should be classified and graded according to some recognised plan, as attendance, or otherwise, into nine cltßses, the nalaries attached to which should be absolute. Teachers holding certificates should as near as possible Inve have schools of the same grade as those certificates. The payment of salaries should be according to grade of the school, ual not ilactuato according to attendance. All extra allowances Bhould be abolished, except for house rent, if necessary, or for instructing pupil pupil teachers. Course of Instruction. — The present diversified ani useless accumulation of subsets should be greatly curtuiled, and five compulsory subjects only — reading, writing, arithmetic, geograph;. , gramaiiir and composition, and girls' sewing—should be required for a pass, together with two optional subjects selected by the teacher from science, drawing, Binding, domestic economy, history, drill, " what to do on emergencies." Other Schools. — Where there may be more than two schools already established, or to be established, tiiihia a radius of two milea from each othfr, the District Patron m«v, after consultation with the Inspector, rt i i mend, uud tha Bureau ei'oulii authorise, tha Bible Hisiory uad denjminulionalisation t hall take the pkoo of one optional subj ;ct in the school course, 'vhicli should have the value ofuny other optional subJ9ot and be examined in the ordinary oouree, On the fourth Monday ia April

thn parents of all children of from 3 to 14 years living within a radius of 5 miles from such " other school," should determine what particular dogma should be taught for the next ensuing three years, provided there should be always one school within not more tnan two miles of each parent, where no doj'ria should be taught, and that iv event of two schools or more being eligible ns " other schools " in tho same district. No two eshoolg shoula teach the sama dogma. [To be continued."]