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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 83

New South Wales Education Act

New South Wales Education Act.

We publish below the most material clauses of the new Education Act of New South Wales, which was assented to on 16th April last. We call the special attention of our readers to clauses 7 and 17 regarding religious education, and clause 11 regarding school fees:—

6. The several classes of schools herein defined may be established and maintained under this Act as fully-organised schools, namely—
(1)Public schools in which the main object shall be to afford the best primary education to all children without sectarian or class distinction.
(2)Superior public schools in towns and populous districts in which additional lessons in the higher branches of education may be given under such regulations for the purpose as may be approved by the Governor.
(3)Evening public schools in which the object shall be to instruct persons who may not have received the advantages of primary education.
(4)High schools for boys in which the course of instruction shall be of such character as to complete the public school curriculum or to prepare students for the university.
(5)High schools for girls.

7. In all schools under this Act the teaching shall be strictly non-sectarian but the words "secular instruction" shall be held to include general religious teaching as distinguished from dogmatical or polemical theology and lessons in the history of England and in the history of Australia shall form part of the course of secular instruction.

11. In all public schools the weekly fees shall not exceed threepence for each child up to four children of one family and for four or any larger number of the same family the total amount of fees shall not exceede one shilling. And in every cases the fees shall be payable to the teacher in charge of the school or other person appointed by the Minister to receive them and may be recovered page 63 by the person so appointed in a summary way before any Justice of the Peace and under regulations to be made for such purpose shall be remitted to the Colonial Treasurer and shall be paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

11. The fees for the teaching in evening public schools shall be fixed by regulations approved by the Governor and all such fees shall be paid to the teachers performing such special duties and may be recovered by such teacher in a summary way before any Justice of the Peace.

12. The Minister or the Public School Board of the district under regulations to be made for that purpose may relieve parents or guardians from the payment of school fees in any case where their inability to pay such fees is satisfactorily shown.

13. It shall be lawful for any station master on the Government railways to issue a free pass to any child to travel in a suitable railway carriage or van to and from any school establishment or declared to be certified under this Act. Provided that such school if a public school shall be the one nearest to the residence of the parents or guardians of such child.

17. In every public school four hours during each school day shall be devoted to secular instruction exclusively and a portion of each day not more than one hour shall be set apart when the children of any one religious persuasion may be instructed by the clergyman or other religious teachers of such persuasion but in all cases the pupils receiving such religious instruction shall be separated from the other pupils of the school. And the hour during which such religious instruction may be given shall be fixed by mutual agreement between the Public School Board in consultation with the teacher of such school and the clergyman of the districts or such other persons as may be duly authorised to act in his stead and any classroom of any public school may be used for such religious instruction by like agreement. Provided that if two or more clergyman of different persuasions desire to give religious instruction at any school the children of each such different persuasion shall be so instructed on different days Provided also that the religious instruction to be so given shall in every case be the religious instruction authorised by the Church to which the clergyman or other religious teachers may belong : Provided further that in case of the non-attendance of any clergyman or religious teacher during any portion of the period agreed to be set apart for religious instruction such period shall be devoted to the ordinary secular instruction in such school.

18. Not with standing anything to the contrary in the last preceeding section no pupil in a public school shall be required to receive any general or special religious instruction if the parents or guardians of such pupil object to such religious instruction being given.

22. In remote and thinly-populated districts where no public school may exist the Minister may establish schools which shall not be classed as fully organised but as provisional only under page 64 regulations for that purpose to be approved by "the Govenor Provided that in all such schools the course of such instruction shall be wholly secular and that all such schools shall be subject to the same control and inspection as are prescribed for public schools Provided further that so soon as twenty children shall have been in regular attendance at any school for three months the said school shall be converted into a public school.