EDUCATION REPORT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20027, 8 September 1930, Page 7

EDUCATION REPORT.

MINISTER PLEASED WITH ! RECEPTION. "I am very pleased with the reception in Canterbury of the Education ! Beport," said the Minister for Eduea- j tion (the Hon. H. Atmore) to a re* ! presentative of The Press yesterday, j "The majority of tlie Canterbury educational authorities appear to be quite satisfied; especially Mr Penlington, president of the New Zealand Educational Institute." Since be had mentioned his approval, the executive of the institute, representing 6000 teachers, had expressed its very warm appreciation of the report, and had congratulated the Committee on its proposals. It had undertaken to assist in making the proposals understood, with a view to their being put into operation. A day would be set apart for the discussion of the second part of the report, but the Unemployment Bill would be the first business whea the House resumed on Tuesday. Ahead of England. Mr Atmore said the adoption of the report would place New Zealand ahead of England, and even in Scotland it was recognised that England had forged ahead of that country in educational matters. The Minister quoted a leading article appearing in the "Scotsman" in June, in proof of this assertion. This stated that nobody could disprove that England was ahead of Scotland in every phase of education. In the. field of academic achievement Scotland had achieved pre-eminence, but she had lagged behind in the more practical work of to-day. There was less justification now for Scotland's ancient boast, and it was doubtful whether there was any department of education in which Scotsmen could claim she was superior to England. "The standard of work in the secondary schools," the leader baa stated, "is not eoual to that 1n the Eng'igh schools. The secondary school? and universities are overloaded with poor material, -and Scotland occupies a I place in f echnical education which is a I discredit to the country, and a menace , to her industrial development, 1 Mr Atmore said the report aimed to mnke as well beaten a track pp to the university on the practical side, as there wis on the academic side. It accorded more importance to vocational educational than hod hitherto keen given it.