WORK OF EDUCATION

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14586, 8 February 1921, Page 5

WORK OF EDUCATION

IS VALUE RECEIVED? THE ROLE OF THE INSPEOTORB. AN INTERESTED MINISTER. By Telsgraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Tuesday. The Minister of Education opened to-day a conference of school inspectors of the Dominion and heads of the four training colleges. Mr Parr, In his opening address, said that he could not, stress ton much the responsibility which rested on inspectors and heads of training colleges, lie felt that every individual did not apprecate the Importance of the work of the heads of training colleges. The inspectors, in their turn, could tell him what, was going on in tl'■•' They alone knew whether :lie country was getting right results from the schools to-day; whether the scheme of promotion or grading was a success or otherwise lay with them. On their capacity and impartiality largely depended the success, contentment and satisfaction of the teaching staff. He could understand that the old idea of the inspector as a man with a whip was gone. The job of the inspector was to see that teachers did their duty. The country was under very heavy expenditure for education. Salaries had been increased by £500,000 a year, and £500,000 a year was being spent in building, the annual Education bill at present being £3,000,000. The Government was endeavouring to do its duty in education, and he was entitled to ask whether they were getting value for all this expenditure. Were the schools developing the minds of the children and turning out a better product generally than 12 or. 20 years ago.