‘Social Promotion’ In Schools Criticised

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31498, 12 October 1967, Page 2

‘Social Promotion ’ In Schools Criticised

(N.I. Frtu Attociation) TAURANGA, Oct. 11. The system of social promotion in primary schools was criticised at the conference of the Federation of New Zealand Housewives in Tauranga today.

The federation will ask the Minister of Education to reassess the educational value of the practice. Mrs J. H. Murdoch (Tauranga) said many pupils just marked time until they were legally able to leave school, and while they remained at school they constituted a nuisance to teachers and classes. “We have examined the position and the rot sets in at primary school level, where pupils do not have to work to get into the next class,” she said. Lazy pupils, of whom there were many, were a drag on teachers and other pupils. Mrs Murdoch said that at secondary school level some pupils were scarcely able to read or write.

“The practice of social promotion encourages laziness,” she said.

Mrs M. L Harris (Hastings) said that many apprentices who left school were unable to pass examinations because of their inability to read and comprehend English.

CUTS IN GRANTS Cuts in educational grants were detrimental to the best interests of the country and were denying children the right to education, the federation decided.

A strong protest will be lodged with the Minister of Education against cuts, and a request will be made for the provision of adequate classrooms.

Introducing the remit, Mrs G. Barker (Western Suburbs) said it was a matter which affected housewives and parents throughout the country.

She said that 160 classrooms were needed to enable five-year-olds to start their education next year, but,only 80 had been completed. “The Minister of Education is penalising the youngsters. For the first time in many year* we have sufficient teachers. but classrooms are inadequate and we can’t even get children’s education started,” she said.