SCHOOL ENTRANCE AGE

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 123, 19 May 1932, Page 8

SCHOOL ENTRANCE AGE

Effect Of Raising DISLOCATION FEARED “WAIT AND SEE” DECISION » Concern at tlic effect next .year on the schools, school committees, teachers and education boards, as a result of the raising of the school commencing ago to six years, was expressed by Air A' C. Blake, when speaking at yester* day’s meeting of the Wellington Education Board. Mr Blake considered that provision should be made whereby pupils could stay on at school another year in a seventh standard. If the schools were, going to be depleted at both ends, he said, what was going to happen to the primary schools? They had to consider the interests of the child, but they could not forget the interests of the school. Although he was not taking the interests of the teachers the fact remained that a. great many were going to be thrown out of work next year. He thought that the board should take steps, if possible to minimise the difficulty.

It was going to have a very serious effect on the schools, he said. The move had been made in the intercts of economy. hut if some provision were made to keep the children longer at school, he thought that that would overcome a great deal of the dislocation that would eventuate.

The chairman. ATr T. Forsyth: AVc are up in the clouds when we discuss this. T do not know whether they are going to enforce the raising of the

school commencing age. If it is so, however, not only the school committees. by the way of capitation, but also this board will suffer.

Voices: It has been passe/ in the Finance Bill. The Chairman: There are several things there which have not been put into operation. It is no use meeting trouble half-way. I think it is preu.ature to discuss it just now. Air T. W. AlcDonald poin<.';d out tho effect on low-grade country schools if the school age were lowered. The grade would be still further lowered, he said, which would consequently mean a lowered standard of efficiency.

DECISION REGRETTED

EDUCATION INSTITUTE’S VIEV r

At its annual meeting in AVellingtoji the New Zealand Educational Institute passed the following resolution on the raising of the age of admission to school from five to six years:—

1. Regrets the decision of Government to exclude the ■nvc-year-olds from the schools believing—

(a) That our present modern infant departments cater fully for the physical and mental requirements of young children. (b) That the resulting redistribution of staffs will cause, for many years, grave disorganisation of schools, to the detriment of the children. (c) That the considerable reductions of staffs of tho schools will add to the present depressed economic conditions. and

2. Directs the incoming executive to give careful consideration to the effects of tho exclusion of the five-year-olds with a view to submitting evidence to the Afinister in support of a claim for the repeal of the clause in the Act concerned. < ; ” , TT