Vocational Moves 'Timid'

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30924, 3 December 1965, Page 18

Vocational Moves 'Timid'

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 2. Recommendations of the commission of inquiry into vocational training are “pretty timid” on the question of improved education for Maoris, according to the president of the Post-Primary Teachers' Association, Mr J. R. Caldwell.

Although very pleased with the report as a whole because many of the recommendations it makes are in line with submissions by his association, Mr Caldwell is disappointed the commission did not go further in the area of Maori education. “I believe the Maori is the largest untapped source of skilled labour in New Zea-

land,” he said in an interview today.

The biggest problems in the field of Maori education are in counselling and reading, Mr Caldwell said.

Increasing the school leaving age to 16 was a “good idea,” said Mr Caldwell. As an immediate step he suggested keeping those children who leave school as they reach the age of 15 until the end of the term during which they reach that age. Obviously, raising the school leaving age will have some effect on the number of teachers required, he said, but he did not think the figure cf an extra 500 used by the Assistant Director-General of Education (Dr. K. Sheen) was accurate. “The number would more likely be in the region of 200-

300 extra,” said Mr Caldwell.

Mr Caldwell said his association was also in favour of standardised report forms which would stop more objectionable aspects of the present system. The commission's recommendation on the teaching of reading and English, would be applauded, said Mr Caldwell.

Secondary schools had already made remarkable progress in this field, but to improve apprentices’ ability to read and understand more must be done, he said. He suggested a crash programme of teacher training, time allowances for tuition of individuals and groups and a better supply of suitable reading material to provide a boost tn the work already being done.