Progress of Technical Education

Abstract

A REVIEW of the progress of technical education in the United Kingdom during the year 1896–97 is given in the tenth annual report of the National Association for the Promotion of Technical and Secondary Education. A general idea of the present position of the technical education movement may be obtained from the subjoined extracts from the report lust issued. Technical Educalion in England. It is pleasing to be able to record that, in the year 1896–97, the total amount of money available under the Local Taxation (Customs and Excise) Act, 1890, and distributed to the local authorities, was larger than in any previous year, and that a further advance has been made as regards its utilisation for educational purposes. Of the 49 County Councils in England 41 are now giving all and eight are giving part of their grants to educational purposes, while of the 61 County Borough Councils 55 are devoting all and six are devoting part of the fund in a like manner. In the county borough of Preston a noteworthy advance has been made. In this locality a new technical institute, erected by the Harris Trustees at a cost of about 20,000l., has recently been opened, and the County Borough Council, by voting a sum of 500l. in aid of technical education in the borough, have now retired from that position of isolation which they had hitherto occupied. At the present time, therefore, all the County and County Borough Councils in England are utilisiog the provisions of the Technical Instruction Ats. In considering the amount of money devoted one way and another, it may be stated that, of the total of 807,000l. now available in England alone, no less a sum than 740,000l. is being spent upon education. It is worthy of note that London's share of the fund now reaches 185,000l., of which a sum of 150,000l. is being utilised for educational purposes, a growth of