DOMINION TO HAVE TECHNICAL SCHOOLS BOARD.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17854, 24 May 1926, Page 10

DOMINION TO HAVE TECHNICAL SCHOOLS BOARD.

WILL INSTITUTE AND L I CONTROL EXAMS. IN : .' TECHNOLOGICAL WORK

(Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, May 22. Having l been approved by an interim committee, a Technical schools board on the lines suggested by the University Commission, is in the process of formation. Vet another of the recommendations of the University Commission, the institution of a Technical Schools Board, is in the process of being given effect to. At least, the ground work for such a departure has been laid. An interim committee met during the week, approved of the principle and drew up proposals defining the powers and functions of the suggested board. Several important recommendations relative to technological education were also made The conference was held on Thursday and Friday last, those present being:— Dr E. Marsden (acting-Director of Education), Messrs W. S. La Trobe (Superintendent of Technical Education), Mosten (Labour Department), IT. S. W. King and M’Gregor Wright (Technical School Boards' representatives), J. 11. Howell and A. M’Fadgen (Technical Schools’ Association). Mr K. F. 11. Bakewell (Xew Zealand University representative), the remaining member of the committee, was absent through illness. Mr King was elected chairman. After a full discussion, the committee passed a resolution to the effect that it was essential in the interests of technical education that a New Zealand Technical Schools Board be constituted, whose powers and duties shall be, among others, to recognise courses of instruction and certificates of attainment, and to institute and control examinations in technological subjects. The suggested powers and duties were defined as under: The board should consist of representatives .of the Departments of Education and Labour, of Technical School Boards, principals and teachers and of the New Zealand University, together with co-opted representatives of trade and industrial interests. It should hold office for three years, meet at least twice yearly and have its reasonable expenses defrayed out of the Education grant. From time to time the board should appoint special advisory committees composed of representatives of trade and industry, expert teachers and others to consider courses of examinations and certificates in specific trades or groups of trades. On the subject of technological examinations the committee passed the following resolutions:—That there is urgent need of Dominion technological examinations to replace those of the City and Guilds of London Institute; that the standards of the Dominion technological examinations and t,he courses leading thereto should receive the approval of the representatives of the several trades concerned; that in general such examinations should take place in three stages, at two-year intervals : that candidates should be entitled to receive credit in the examinations of the first and the second stages for the subjects previously passed in examinations of equivalent standard: that the Technical Schools Board should recognise for the purpose of accrediting any course or courses of a technical school or its equivalent up to and including the second stage of a trade or professional examination, subject to the conditions that the school must possess proper staffing and equipment and that the Education Department’s inspector must be prepared to certify that its teaching is efficient; that accrediting certificates must be signed by a school principal or the Education Department’s inspector, the issue of certificates for final examinations should rest solely with the Technical Schools Board; that the services of apprenticeship committees should be invited in deciding whether an apprentice’s workshop experience” should entitle him to exemption from examination in stage one or two, and in conducting practical trade examinations; that the possession of a certificate of satisfactory trade or professional training should be a prerequisite for entry to the corresponding final examination.

The committee gave general ap~ proval, to the amended programme of subjects and works for the Public SCI» Vice Entrance. Senior National Scholar» ship and intermediate examinations. but made several suggestions designed to make the examinations more generally applicable to tevhnical school requirements in technological examinations of the first stage:

The first steps in instituting the new examination system were aisu'takcn The committee met responsible ofiicers (If the Piumhm's' Board. the Railways Board. the iilortricai “'iremen's Board and the Marine Department. and recommended the formation of certain expert L-onlmittees at once to draw up schemes for technulugical oxaminw firms for which there exists already a demand.