SUPPORT FOR EARLIER START AT HIGH SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28700, 25 September 1958, Page 14

SUPPORT FOR EARLIER START AT HIGH SCHOOL

Earlier entry to high school has a good deal of merit in fully extending the talented —and even other pupils—in the opinion of Mr J. L. Hunter, senior inspector of post-primary schools for. the South Island, who has just returned from Australia where he represented New Zealand at a conference of inspectors . of schools from all levels. “In Australia, age of entry to high schools varies from state to state,” Mr. Hunter said yesterday. “In Tasmania it is 11 plus (as in England) and in New South Wales 12 plus (as in Scotland), whereas in New Zealand the average is 13 plus. “Strong arguments can be made for and against an earlier start,” said Mr Hunter. “There is no doubt, however, that many children are sufficiently developed in every way to undertake secondary studies before they reach the age of 13. In fact, a number do so in New Zealand, even though our primary, intermediate, and secondary school organisation is not specifically planned to that end. This question is inevitably bound up with the identification and cultivation of talent, which was the theme of the conference in Hobart.

“I can say that in New South Wales and Victoria this earlier start does mean higher standards than we attain in New Zealand in certain academic subjects at high school,” Mr Hunter said. In this era of unprecedented scientific and technological expansion, the inspectors’ conference considered that talent of any kind must be encouraged—not only science and mathematics, Mr Hunter said. As in all Western countries, Australia and New Zealand had urgent need of more and better-trained scientists and engineers; but there were equally* important demands for leaders and thinkers in every field of human activity. The problem should concern, not only those in schools but also governments and the public generally. “Public appreciation of the needs should be such that nothing undemocratic is seen in nurturing those with special gifts,” Mr Hunter said. “In fact, if this is not done, there is little hope of survival for our democratic institutions.” Mr Hunter mentioned that the school leaving age was 14 or 15 in most Australian states (compared with 15 in New Zealand) but in Tasmania it was 16. There was a tendency everywhere for increasing numbers of pupils to stay at school beyond the leaving age to equip themselves better for future occupations. This trend, as here, was posing problems in accommodation, organisation, and curriculum.

From the New Zealand point of view, the most interesting

development in Australian secondary education was the emergence of the multi-course school (often co-educational as here) as the standard type. It appeared that these “high .schools” would gradually replace the variety existing at present— high (academic), technical, home science, and agricultural schools —and that, as here, any bias would follow the needs of the locality, said Mr Hunter. New South Wales investigations by a special committee had produced recommendations very similar to those of the New Zealand Thomas report of 1943 and the State Director-General of Education (Dr. H. S. Wyndham) and the Director of Secondary Education (Mr A. W. Stephens) had made exhaustive studies in New Zealand, including considerable time in Christchurch.