EDUCATION BY MAIL

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 16

EDUCATION BY MAIL

TECHNICAL TRAINING DISCUSSED REQUEST TO MINISTER A suggestion that those living in country districts be given an opportunity of securing technical education by correspondence will be sent forward to the Minister for Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, by the Board of Governors of the Christchurch Technical College. The subject was introduced at a meeting of the board last night, in a report submitted by the board’s chairman. Mr T. W. West, and other members spoke in support of the idea. Mr West’s report said:— “The need for technical instruction in remote districts comes Under the notice of most of us when we travel in the country and the principal of the college states that he has applications at times for correspondence courses. The matter is one that can hardly be dealt with by any individual college, but is one for the consideration of tne Education Department, and I feel that we would be well justified in placing it before the Minister for Education. The Correspondence School of. the Department is working very successfully in the primary section, and it is understood that there' is a large and growing secondary department as well “Technical education, being required for people of all ages, is just as essential for many persons in the country, and a variety of subjects could be covered by it. The technique of workshop, agricultural, scientific, and housecraft practice cannot well be taught by correspondence, but farmers and their wives, engineers, builders, and others could, nevertheless, obtain much valuable instruction from it Frequently men engaged in practical work need instruction mainly in the theory side of their work, and it would be possible for example to help engineers, plumbers, and builders to prepare for technological examinations in their trades. The same service could be utilised to help in the study of literature. art. and science, and it could be supplemented by instructional talks by- radio as is done to some extent now.” Members generally supported the proposal to send the suggestions on to the Minister for Education, a further suggestion being that farm workers taking correspondence courses might at . slack times on the farm come to the city; for a week!s practical work.