Back To Basics In Education

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30471, 19 June 1964, Page 3

Back To Basics In Education

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, Julie 18.

Education must get back to a firn) foundation in the “three R’s,” the Minister of Education (Mr Kinsella) told Parliament today. Outlining his personal philosophy of education, during the Address-in-Reply debate, he called for a new watchword, “Back to Basics,” and declared: ’ “We must .consider basics before buildings—or equipment or anything else.

“Undeniably, many children are leaving school inadequately prepared. As long as some pupils are leaving school inadequately trained, we have no room for complacency. ’ “In this House, .great pride is usually taken in the fact that there is little criticism of or discussion on estimates of educational spending. “I think it is more of an indictment on the House and the country. There is too much stress on 'material aspects. I am much more interested in what- is happening in the classroom and the child than in totals of buildings or funds spent. “Before we can attempt specialist teaching .or remedial teaching we must get back to basics.” Drive For Staff Mr Kinsell? defined three needs:— (1) Well-qualified, welltrained and sufficient teachers. (2) Curricula aimed at training in basic skills before specialisation, and geared to the needs of modern life. (3) Provision for remedial teaching. The use of radio, television and teaching teams were only

aids. They could not replace qualified,, skilled teachers. Entrance qualifications for training colleges had been too Ipw. “But we must first increase the teaching force, introduce smaller classes and provide a three-year training course.

"This year we are making an all-out effort to set a recruitment record.

“Our objective is definitely smaller classes.”

Mr Kinsella said he would, over the next two years, initiate a system of check testing—on reading, writing, spelling, basic English and basic arithmetic—in the primary schools. This would show up faults in time for them to be remedied.