HC Deb 12 April 1877 vol 233 c969
MR. A. H. BROWN

asked the Vice President of the Council of Education, Why the foot-note in the Code of 1873, which required the children in all public elementary schools in Standards V. and VI. to know the principles of the metric system, has been omitted in the Codes of 1874 up to 1877; and whether he has any objection to restore it in future Codes?

VISCOUNT SANDON

As the metric system has not been adopted by this country, and as, since we have been in Office, we have been raising and improving the education which is given in our elementary schools, and have also added to the subjects of instruction taught in them, we think it better to release the children from the additional burden of learning the metric system until it has been decided by Parliament to use that system generally.