POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27038, 13 May 1953, Page 12

POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION

TEACHERS ADVOCATE INVESTIGATION

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 12. The New Zealand Educational Institute wants an investigation and evaluation of the work of post-primary schools since the operation of the present syllabus, introduced in 1945. Speaking at the annual meeting of the institute in Wellington tonight, Mr,M. Riske (Wellington) said a review was important, because of the huge increase in post-primary schoool rolls expected within the next few years. There were now 10,000 students sitting the school certificate examination, he said. By 1960, the figure would be 20,000. A critical evaluation of the education given in the post-primary schools was therefore urgently needed before the big wave of enrolments arrived.

Doubts existed about accrediting, but perhaps the greatest weakness of the education system was the co-ordination of the primary and post-primary schools, industry, and the universitv, said Mr Riske. All these things needed investigation if the schools were to meet adequately the influx. The conference decided to ask the Education Department to set up a committee of its officers, teachers, and representatives of interested bodies, to bring down a report on post-primary education since 1945.