The Education Report TEACHER STANDARD. SUPPLY, CRUCIAL

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29900, 14 August 1962, Page 14

The Education Report TEACHER STANDARD. SUPPLY, CRUCIAL

ISpeciallu written for “The Press” by

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The Education Commission was handed its "wide-as-the-sea" order of reference on February 15, 1960. It submitted its report to the Minister on June 12. 1962 This fact alone is worth recording as no mean achievement Initially then, let me join the ranks of those offering congratulations, first on the speed with which this mammoth task has been carried out, and second, on the report itself. Many school children below the age of 12 years can and do make "candid comment" in the home circle and elsewhere on the genera! quality of the teacher and on "related matters" Above that age almost everyone in New Zealand has definite opinions (and expresses them) on matters educa-. tional. Thus the report records that 543 submissions were received from 409 dif-

This is the first of two articles discussing the Education Commission's report. The teaching experience of the author, who is now a Presbyterian minister, includes eight years as first assistant at a private postprimary boys’ school. 10 years as head of a multilateral mixed high school, four years and a half as head of an “academictype” boys’ high school, and 11 years as head of a multilateral boys’ boarding school with an attached intermediate department.

ferent organisations and persons. Personal appearances before the commission numbered 556 Public hearings (in seven main cities) were recorded verbatim, providing 3450 typescript page.There is a formidable list of "interviews.” of "places, persons. and institutions visited" within New Zealand, in Australia, the United K.ngdom. France. Sweden. Canada, and the United States of America From an almost chaotic conglomeration of often conflicting comment and opinion, the commission has produced an orderly, well-reasoned carefully documented report covering 850 closely printed pages Concern World-wide

Obviously one is on safe ground in describing it as a “massive document.” When the summary appeared there was a general chorus of approval. The first printing of the full report proved to be a "best seller": all copies were disposed of in a matter of hours. Since then there has been a profound silence. "Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed. and some few to be digested" The material for this meal has been gathered by expert hands over a long period; the chew’ing and digestive process takes time There are more than 300 recommendations. w’hich would almost suggest a major upheaval; but that is hardly the case. In limited space it is impossible to make detailed comment; nor is this desirable. The full implications of some recommendations will not be seen until they are translated into prac. tice and subsequently modified by experience. Nevertheless. being a bold man. and claiming some measure of protection as a retired headmaster and of Ecclesiastical privilege. I make some observations on the report as a whole and on some of the more important matters. It is the first "major look" at the system since 1930, when the Atmore Report was produced against a background of depression years The intervening period has been the most amazing in world history, has seen a world war with all its conquences. and an educational revolution in (principally) our post-primary schools. Public concern with education systems has been in evidence all over the world, not merely in New Zealand. The reasons for such concern are fairly obvious. We live in an age of technology and of rapid change These are difficult and perplexing times when standards are being challenged in so many ways. Criticism of educational methods and performance has been widespread and pointed Social ills of various kinds have caused the asking of many questions. More and more of the responsibilities earlier shouldered by homes and parents a-e now regarded as within the province of the schools. The stocktaking is therefore timely. At the risk of doing less than justice to the report I

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must say that the commission has produced no “majic carpet” to a better land. Many home truths are repeated and re-emphasised For many years we have said. “There is scarcely a problem affecting the schools which cannot be solved by an adequate, qualified, and dedi. cated teaching force," At the heart of all the commission s recommendations is the essential thought: "We need more teachers, of the highest quality. This will cost a good deal of money." In fact, though it is an excellent thing that recommendations are supported by solid facts. I have the impression that much of the report could have been written by such a competent commission as this was without calling evidence at all Nevertheless, this is neither to suggest that it would have carried the same authority nor to say that there will b<complete agreement with all the commission’s findings. How much will it all cost” Quite clearly the comm;«s < n "believes that by world standards our system may reasonably be claimed to be i good one and. in some respects, an. advanced one. comparing not unfavourably with those in other leading countries in the Western world ” I am a little suspicious of large claims which we has e a habit of making for ourselves. Nevertheless, if this statement is accepted. theie may be an initial lifting of eyebrows at the suggestion that by 1970 extra annual expenditure of possibly £2O million may be required On p 143 the chief recommendations involving in-

creased expenditure a:e listed Their implementation, together with the increase due to natural growth and allowing for the accompanying expense of university education, quite obviously requires a sum of many millions. "Though not all improvements need be financial ones these are inescapable." The total amount is considered "possible and not unreasonable" It is approximate only, and deta led planning and provision are “left to other hands ”

The main discussion on curricula is developed rather to support a recommendation for the establishment within the department of a "section for curricular development .” One can most heartily agree. Need for Standards On teacher supply and training the commission's recommendations are laudable, though perhaps not easy of accomplishment. They recommend a "systematic revaluation” (extensive investigation over a period i« envisaged), the raising of entrance and academic qualifications. and the extension of the training period from two to three years—all with the idea that teaching must have professional stat With our passion for tidily related scales* for all State employees, teachers' salaries for long enough have been reconciled at "key points" with Public Service rewards. Change may not be easy Again. we have been passing through a period of acute teacher shortage At the moment qualification for admission to Teachers' Collette is School Certificate (for which the only compulsory subject is English). Suggested is a raising of requirement to Endorsement of School Certificate Solid statistics reveal that if this comes about, two out of seven sixth-form Leavers must be recruited for teaching. This seems impossibly high. I find it bard to share the w'.sfiftil thinking that ma.rri<d women in any number after a lapse of time will return to the profession. Yet can we tolera’e teacher entrants with possibly pitifully low attainments in school certificate English and no better than core mathematics? Teachers’ colleges should net have to make good basic deficiencies in "tool subjects." M.gfct ft not have been wise to insist on definite minimum standards in specified subjects for teacher entrants? It is true that salary scales are to a certain extent related to professional status But I am equally certain that the status rests first and foremast on the teacher’s own attitude and the sen- ce which he renders. The teacher with' professional status Is he who ccmorehends his trust and to the same Keeps faithful with a singleness of aim. The professional priv.lege carries grave professional responsibility. (To be Concluded 1