EDUCATION SCHEME.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 93, 19 April 1940, Page 3

EDUCATION SCHEME.

MANY CLASSES OPERATING. INSTRUCTION FOR GUNNERS. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) DUXEDIX, Thursday. Fuller details of earlier statements regarding the education of airmen pilots, air observers and air gunners were given by the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, in a statement tonight. About 7.->0 men, all selected as airmen pilots or air observers, the -Minister said, wove at present undergoing instruction either in one of the 20 classes already in operation in various towns or by correspondence from Air Force headquarters. Ther-e men were in two group*, a short course and a long course. The short course trainees were all men who had reached the necessary educational standard some live or six years ago, but required a short refresher course. The long course men were never at any stage up to the required Air Force standard for pilots or observers, and were be.ng given a course of sonic | five months in order that this standard might be attained.

I hose men going in as air gunners constituted another problem which had to by met. the Minister continued. It was naturally not necessary for those men to have the same educational qualifications as men selected as pilots or observers, for they would never be required to navigate. Up to the present no instruction had been given by the Air Foreo to those men prior to* their entry into the ground training school.

The Minister himself," however, had been s o well satisfied with the success of the present educational nrraiigemeiits that lie had for some time felt the advisability of drafting to preliminary classes in mathematics and science all men who were to enter the ground training school at Levin, not only" those cnteriiij! as airmen pilots and air observers, but also those entering as air gunners. Cabinet had now decided, tho Minister said, that this preliminary instruction was to be -riven i n all" cases to men selected for the air erew section of the .Mr Force, and necessary arrangements were at present being m:ide l> v the Air Department.

The Minister stated that a certain number of applications were lieing received for the air crew section frmiTniPn who had not completed their primarv school education. Those applications could not lie entertained as such men could not, in the limited time available be brought up to the standard required for the Air Force.