Discrepancies Seen In N.Z. Education

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29850, 16 June 1962, Page 13

Discrepancies Seen In N.Z. Education

Too low a school leaving age, lack of attention to the majority of secondary school pupils who were not academically inclined, and the emphasis on vocational training at the universities to the detriment of general education, were among discrepancies in the New Zealand education system, said Mr T H. McCombs, a former Minister of Education and headmaster of Cashmere High School, in a lunch-hour lecture to Canterbury University students yesterday. Speaking on “Education in the Welfare State,” Mr McCombs said that with the ever-increasing complexity of functions on which modern society depended, there was a great need for persons of advanced technological learning. The strategic importance of education in society was paramount and talent had to be cultivated, he said. In New Zealand a grave drawback to the encouragement to learn was the legal leaving age of 15 years —one of the lowest in the Western world. Abstract Thought Most persons were not capable of abstract thought until reached this age and the ability to think in abstract terms was an important part of many technological subjects and all fields of mathematics. In most Western countries the leaving age was about 16 and in some areas 18. This small period was an important one in intellectual development and ability or inclination to learn often did not manifest itself until this period, he said. With society becoming more complex every generation. those who had to live in it had to be properly prepared. “The child must not be as ignorant as the father.” Mr McCombs said. The essence of the welfare state was the dependence of the individual on the community. The individual

thus had an obligation to the community and it was the duty of every person to advance himself as much as possible, as in so doing he was benefiting his society, said Mr McCombs.

Another major hurdle was the university entrance examination, he said. Only 15 per cent, of pupils in school were academically inclined and the other 85 per cent, were still subject to a curriculum designed to cater for those sitting this examination. The many late developers, who did not start absorbing learning to an appreciable extent until they were about 15, were by this system also denied the type of education best suited to them, Mr McCombs said. More emphasis should be put cn acquiring a general education at university instead of just vocational training as at present, he said. Education might be gained in the process, but knowledge of a few subjects did not produce the mature reflection needed. General education was important and this was recognised overseas.

In each country the type of education reflected the national outlook, said Mr McCombs. Consciously or unconsciously, educational systems were designed to produce the type of person considered most suited to that society Political Use

In the United States and in Communist countries, education was purposely used as a method of political ’ndoctrination. In the United States, which had a huge foreign population (there were more Poles in Detroit than in Warsaw) the Imbuing of nationalism was a necessary part of education, he said. There had been more inventions and scientific advancement made during his lifetime than in the whole of previous recorded h’story. and this fantastic progress was rapidly gaining impetus Democracy, to survive, must keep advancing, and this made the training of persons with high intellectual capacity necessary.

To meet the needs of the State and thus the people, more time had to b" devoted to education. Mr McCombs added.