Education Commission

Press, Volume C, Issue 29459, 10 March 1961, Page 8

Education Commission

Sir, —I was interested to read the report of the evidence to the Education Commission on kindergarten teacher training. In England the National Froebel Foundation provides a most comprehensive three-year training for girls who wish to become teachers, recognised by the Ministry of Education. Once trained, a Froebelian is

qualified to run a nursery school, a kindergarten, or teach junior school children to the age of 13. A girl wishing to specialise in nursery school work, kindergarten work, or junior school work, can do so, with a background of the basic Froebelian principle. With this training, kindergarten teachers would have “covered the age range of three to seven years.’' and the kindergarten teacher would “have the professional status equal to that of teachers in the upper schools” because she would have had an intellectual and practical training based on the philosophy of one of the world’s greatest educationists—Froebel.—Yours, etc., GILLIAN POLSON. March 9. 1961.

Sir.—“ Because of the enormous sums already being spent by the State on education” the Canterbury branch of the Association of Teachers advocates an appeal to the public for additional funds, and proposes that, as an inducement, such gifts should qualify fbr some remission of income tax and death duties. In the first instance. from whose pockets but those of the public are these “enormous sums” already extracted. Second, however desirable free education may be, many of the present beneficiaries of the system could well afford to contribute more than they do. Third, the State is relieved of educational expenditure in respect of a relatively small but by no means unimportant category—pupils at private schools. If there are any concessions going begging these establishments deserve them as much as any others.—Yours, etc., ILAM. March 9. 1961.