CHRISTCHURCH,

Wanganui Herald, Volume XX, Issue 5916, 4 June 1886, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH,

The school inspectors here having reported unsatisfactorily on the general educational condition of the children attending the district schools, a special committee was appointed by the Board of Education t.o inquire into the oa3es and suggest reforms. The committee, in a voluminous report, complain as to the manner in which work is done. The committee consider the board should be more of an executive body than it has been. ' The remuneration of head masters was insufficient to secure really good men in twenty-six instances, and the number of pupil teachers in the larger schools is far greater than is favourable to efficiency. They suggest the emglpyment of more adult female teachers. The new syllabus requiring so many extra subjects to be taught, had led to a neglect of essential subjects, and diverted attention from the three R's. Teachers should be allowed to select their own subjects. They consider the board should weed out incompetent teachers with a firm hand, and should give more assistance to school committees to secure the appointment of good teachers. In Order to keep up the efficiency, they recommend that a record of the successes and failures of every teacher should be kept for reference j that inspectors should bo leßa hasty in their work, and that the board should themselves personally visit sohoola occasionally.