1925-1926-1927 - Department of Education and Skills

8 •The above grants are sanctioned normally on a basis of twothirdsof the cost, but in poor and congested districts a largergrant may be given or in extreme cases the whole cost of thebuilding may be defrayed by the Department. The total amountwhich the Department is, however, authorised to allocate in respectof these" excess" grants is limited to a sum not exceedingone-eighth 'of;lthetotal grants allowed for any one year. !Theresultis that in many cases of real necessity schools eannot be built, sinceunder the present conditions Managers are frequently unable toraise the local quota of one-third of the cost or find great difficultyin doing so, even in districts not normally regarded as pooror congested.IiI.PRIVATE SCHOOT-JS.One valuable result of the School Attendance Act has been toestablish contact between the Department of Education and theprivate schools which had hitherto no connection with it. TheAct provided for the certification of all such schools as receivedpupils of elementary school age for the purpose of receiving elementaryeducation. In response to advertisements in the publicPress applications for certificates were received from nearly 200such schools, including junior departments of secondary schools.Particulars were obtained in every case in regard to the dailyperiod of instruction, the subjects included in the curriculum;the duration of instruction in each subject, etc., and where thecurriculum was regarded as suitable and the arrangementsin regard to Roll Call and the duration of instruction conformedwith the regulations, temporary certificates of suitability validfor one year were issued.It is proposed to have a Register kept at each Garda SiochanaStation which will contain particulars of all children under 16years of age resident in the area. It is hoped to have arrangementsmade for the taking of Census at a later date and the Registerswill be compiled from the particulars obtained. TheRegister will ensure that the provisions of the Act are madeapplicable to all children.IV,.THE NEW PROGRAMME.The new Programme seems to have ziven aeneral satisfactionand its introduction has undoubtedly m:de fOl~fuller co-operationbetween teachers and inspectors. Although both the new AttendanceAct and the new Primary Programme have not been 10nD'enough in operation to permit of a considered judgment as to th: