'N.Z. Needs Bigger Minds’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30176, 6 July 1963, Page 13

' N.Z. Needs Bigger Minds’

New Zealand’s education system could in the years ahead be mature, independent and authentic, perhaps even a “finishing school” for South-east Asia, said Dr. J. R. Moffat, a lecturer at the Christchurch Teachers’ College, yesterday.

Dr Moffat was lecturing students at the University of Canterbury on education in a series of lunch-hour talks on "New Zealand’s place in the world today "

He said it was unfortunate that all the talk in the education world today was on more buildings and smaller classes “What we need in New Zealand is, in fact, bigger minds.” The Dominion’s system had been imitative at just about every point, drawing mainly on the systems of the United Kingdom and the United States From Britain New Zealand got academic curricula. school uniforms, prefects and the national religion—football while from America came the “playway" system, the idea of higher intakes, and consequent lower standards and a general “learning without effort” scheme Since the introduction and

adoption of American ideas In the 1930'5. Dr. Moffat said, education in the Dominion had suffered from schizophrenia. There could be no serving two masters at the one time, especially two so diverse.

In addition, there had been a culpable neglect of the alphabet since the American system was introduced. Because of neglect in teaching the alphabet, a generation of youngsters who could not read had grown up. A consequence was remedial reading clinics scattered up and down the Dominion. Since the sputnik, the Americans had had a second look at their educational system and it had been found wanting, said Dr. Moffat Even in technology and science the old • European educational traditions had proved better. New Zealand’s education system today was a test tube for overseas ethnologists and psychologists who occasionally came to the Dominion

to probe. “It is an exporter of brains and has been ever since Rutherford. Why did we lose them? Mainly because research facilities are much better overseas and higher salaries are paid there," be said New Zealand probably had the lowest standard of teacher training in the world because nothing has been done in this field for 60

years. Dr Moffat said "As you are aware, the United Kingdom no longer accepts the New Zealsnd teachers’ certificate. What surprised me is that they have accepted it for so long," he said. In the first place, the period of training was far too short compared with overseas standards; second, the students were often inadequate for post-primary work. There had been criticism in the university newspaper from time to time of inadequate staff at the Teachers' College. There was no right to complain because the students got the teachers “dirt cheap ” He added: "They give you twice as much as you are entitled to receive.” Dr Moffat said the salaries paid to teachers at the college were only big enough to attract loc»L perhaps mediocre, teachers from the city and suburbs and yet this was a national training school, which regularly sent out from its doors about half of the country’s teachers. On the future of education, he said the Dominion could have a good, alive system that was mature, independent, and authentic, As It was doubted if anyone had yet read all 850 pages of the Education Commission's report. Dr. Moffat said, it would be unfair to make any criticism ot the system’ until the politician* had finished the book.