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EDUCATION.

IT

T would have been strange if communities so prosperous as the Australasian colonies had neglected to provide for the education of the children. This duty, so vitally affecting the welfare of the people, has been recognised as one of the most important which the State could be called upon to discharge. In every province of the group, ample provision has been made for public instruction, such provision, indeed, in some cases, extending far beyond what has been done in most of the countries of the old world. In addition to a system of primary education, in all the colonies there are grammar and high schools, by means of which those who have the desire may qualify for the higher studies of the University. So bountiful is the provision made by the State that in most cases the cost of education is merely nominal, and the poverty of the parents ceases to be an excuse for the ignorance of the children. It is true that in the very early days of colonisation but little attention was paid to education; but as soon as the sharp struggle for bare existence was over, attempts were made to provide means of instruction for the rising generation, and the foundations were laid of an educational system that is in the highest degree creditable to these young communities. The religious bodies were naturally the first to build schools and provide teachers; but there was always a large proportion of persons who objected to denominationalism, principally those who belonged to denominations which were not subsidised by the State; hence there arose a National or non-sectarian system which has in the course of time almost monopolised the educational field.

In all the Australasian colonies the State system of education is secular. Compulsory clauses find a place in the Acts of the various provinces; but the enforcement of these is not everywhere equally strict. In Victoria, for example, compulsory attendance at school has been rigorously insisted upon, while in Queensland the principle of compulsion has been allowed to remain almost in abeyance, and in the other colonies it has been enforced with varying degrees of strictness. In Victoria, Queensland, New Zealand, and South Australia the primary education provided by the State is entirely free of charge to the parents; in New South Wales, Western Australia, and Tasmania small fees are charged, but these are not enforced where the parents can reasonably plead poverty.

The statutory school-age of each colony is as follows :—

In New South Wales, for many years, a dual system of education was in existence. The four State-aided denominations—the Church of England, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Wesleyan bodies-had schools supported by annual votes from Parliament, administered under the control of the head of each denomination for the time being. There were also National schools, likewise supported by the State, but under the control of a Board appointed by the Government. This plan was found to be costly and wasteful in the extreme, for in many country towns there were in existance several small and inefficient competing schools where the total number of children was not more than sufficient for one wellconducted establishment. So strongly was this evil felt that changes in the law were made from time to time, until at length the denominational system was abolished altogether, and one general and comprehensive plan of Public Instruction adopted in its place. This reform was not accomplished without much agitation, extending over a considerable period. A league was formed with the object of securing the establishment of secular, compulsory, and free education, and in 1880, under the auspices of Sir Henry Parkes, the measure establishing the present system became law. Education in the public schools is now non-sectarian, though facilities are afforded to clergymen to give religious instruction within specified school-hours to children whose parents belong to their denomination and desire that this instruction shall be given. It is compulsory, and free to all who cannot afford to pay, while a merely nominal fee is charged to those who are in a position to contribute towards the cost of the teaching of their children. For secondary education there are a number of superior and high schools entirely supported by the State, besides numerous colleges, grammar schools, and denominational schools which obtain no assistance from the Government, excepting the Sydney Grammar School, which receives a statutory endowment of £1,500. Scholarships and bursaries have been founded in connection with many of these schools. The University of Sydney, which is liberally endowed by private individuals as well as the State, grants degrees which rank with those of Oxford and Cambridge. Educational affairs in the colony are under the direction of a Minister for Public Instruction.

In Victoria, under an Act passed in 1872, a system of free, compulsory, and secular primary education is in force, under a Minister of Public Instruction, who is responsible to Parliament. The compulsory clause is very strictly enforced, especially in the large towns, and education is entirely free as regards the ordinary subjects of primary

instruction, while the teachers are allowed to impart instruction in additional subjects, for which a small fee is payable. Religion is strictly forbidden to be taught during school-hours, and at no time must a State teacher give instruction therein. Secondary education is almost entirely in the hands of private or denominational establishments. The higher education is supplied by the University, with its affiliated colleges.

The Education Department in Queensland is administered by the Secretary for Public Instruction. The Act now in force was passed in 1875, and is of a tolerably liberal character, primary education being secular and free. The compulsory clause has not been put into operation, as it would be a very difficult thing to enforce its provisions in the scattered and sparsely-populated districts of the interior. The public schools are divided into two classes, termed State and Provisional schools. A State school must have an average daily attendance of not less than thirty children, and the local district must contribute one-fifth of the cost of establishing, maintaining, repairing, and making additions to the building. In the case of the establishment of a Provisional school, the Minister may grant a subsidy towards the cost of erection and equipment of the necessary building, not exceeding one-half of the cost and in no case exceeding £50, provided the proposals of the promoters are submitted to him before they are carried out. Towards the administration and maintenance of this class of school the Government make a capitation grant, equal to the average cost per head of children in State schools. Secondary education is provided by grammar schools, which are liberally assisted by the State. The colony has no University of its own, but sends a fair number of students to the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne. The system of extension lectures in connection with the University of Sydney has been extended to Queensland; and the Government of the colony have agreed to a proposal to establish a University in Brisbane.

The South Australian system of primary education, which was introduced in its present form in 1878, is very similar to the systems already described. Public instruction in the colony is presided over by a responsible Minister, with an Inspector-General and other officials. It is compulsory, secular, and free. Until the end of 1891 a small weekly fee was payable by all parents able to do so; but at the beginning of 1892 primary instruction was made free until the scholar reached the age of 13 years or had been educated to the compulsory standard, and in 1898 the remaining fees were abolished by the Minister for Education. Children who have attained a certain standard of education are exempt from compulsory attendance. Religious instruction is not allowed to be given except out of ordinary school-hours. Secondary education is in the hands of private and denominational establishments; and the University of Adelaide, though small, is efficient.

Under the Elementary Education Act of 1871, primary education in Western Australia is imparted in Government schools, which are entirely supported by the State. An Amendment Act passed in 1893

placed educational affairs in the colony under the control of a responsible Minister, and afforded facilities for special religious teaching, half-an-hour per day being allotted to clergymen for the instruction of children of the same denomination. Another Amendment Act which came into force in 1894 abolished payment by results, and gave powers for the enforcement of compulsory. attendance. Until 1895, private schools were also assisted from the public purse, on condition of submitting to Government inspection in secular subjects; but towards the end of that year an Act was passed abolishing the system of annual grants to denominational schools, and providing that during the year 1896 the State should hand over, as compensation for the abolition of these subsidies, the sum of £15,000, to be divided between the schools in like proportions to those which governed the distribution of the annual vote in 1895. Under the regulations of 1895, children can claim free education on account of inability to pay the fees, of living more than 1 mile from school, of having made 400 half-day attendances in the previous year, or of other reasons approved by the Minister. There is a high school at Perth, which is subsidised by the State; and further encouragement is given to secondary instruction by the institution of scholarships which are open to competition.

In Tasmania the Chief Secretary holds the portfolio of Education, and has especial charge of matters relating to primary instruction. The permanent head of the department is styled Director of Education. There are public schools in every country town throughout the colony, and several in Hobart and Launceston. The principle of compulsion is in force in these two towns; and special religious instruction is given by the Church of England clergy out of school-hours. Secondary education was at one time encouraged by exhibitions, but none have been granted since 1893. The University of Tasmania was established in 1890, and at first was merely an examining body, but in the beginning of the year 1893 a building was acquired and teaching provided for the purpose of enabling students to graduate in Arts, Science, and Laws. The first degree, one of B.A., was taken in 1894. The Government grants the institution an annual subsidy, the amount voted by Parliament in 1896 being £2,500.

New Zealand has an educational system which is entirely secular and free. There is a separate Department of Education, presided over by oneof the responsible Ministers of the Crown, as in the other colonies. The whole colony has been divided into school districts, each presided over by a local Board, and a capitation grant of £3 15s. per head is paid by the State for every child in average attendance, and, in addition, 1s. 6d. per child in support of scholarships, with other grants for schoolbuildings, training of teachers, etc. In districts where there are few or no Europeans, native schools are maintained for the Maori children. High schools, colleges, and grammar schools provide the means for acquiring secondary education; and the University of New Zealand, like those of the other colonies, is empowered to confer the same degrees

F

as the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, except as regards Divinity. It is, however, only an examining body, the undergraduates keeping their terms at the affiliated colleges-the University of Otago, the Canterbury College, and the Auckland University College.

STATE SCHOOLS.

Exclusive of the native schools established by the New Zealand Government for the instruction of the Maori children, there were 7,809 public schools in Australasia at the close of the year 1896. The number in operation in each of the seven colonies will be seen on reference to the table given below. As a rule, secondary education is provided by private institutions, and the figures quoted may be taken as representing primary schools; but in New South Wales there are five high schools, which it is customary to include with the others. The secondary schools in New Zealand are excluded from the returns :

In all the colonies, with the exception of Victoria, there has been a steady increase in the number of State schools during the past few years. In Victoria the reverse has been the case, for since 1891 the number in operation has decreased from 2,233 to 1,886. This is the result of a scheme of retrenchment, initiated at that time, by which there has been an amalgamation of schools in large centres of population; and in other districts schools have been closed and the pupils conveyed to other institutions at the cost of the State. Under the first part of this scheme no fewer than 69 schools have been converted into adjuncts to others in the neighbourhood, at an estimated annual saving of £43,900. At these adjuncts—which are not included in the number of schools set down in the table-instruction is now imparted only to young children, in junior classes. The system of conveyance, brought into operation under the second part of the scheme, has been the means of closing 241 schools, an allowance being made by the State to parents to defray the cost of conveyance of their children to schools further removed from their place of abode. After deducting the cost of con