Farming Education “Lacks Plan”

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32010, 10 June 1969, Page 18

Farming Education “Lacks Plan”

A committee of the New Zealand Federation of Young Farmers Clubs, which has been studying agricultural education, believes that one of the major weaknesses of the system at present is a lack of over-all plan, Mr H. F. W. Kynoch, of Hawke’s Bay, told the Dominion executive of the federation in Christchurch yesterday. One of the recommendations of the committee is that the federation should convene a conference with a view to establishing effective co-ordination and planning on a national scale.

Mr Kynoch said he understood that discussions were being held by the Department of Agriculture and the Education Department and others. The committee feels that there is a lack of tertiary agricultural educational facilities for the young farmer who does not require a university diploma but has passed the level of cadetship. Mr Kynoch said that there was a gap at that stage, and the committee felt that this would be felt by larger numbers of people if the emphasis of the diploma course was changed. From its study of the existing facilities for agricultural education in New Zealand, the committee said it seemed that the country bad most of the elements necessary to make up a comprehensive system; but there was no overall pattern and in any one area the available facilities were not comprehensive.

The committee recommended that the federation reaffirm its policy on agricultural education in schools it should support a general primary and secondary school education —and advance its views on tertiary agricultural education. The federation should seek an association

with the Vocational Training Council.

Mr Kynoch said that unless the federation showed that it valued agricultural education and encouraged its members to take advantage of this it would not have a leg to stand on. The committee also recommended that the federation should seek to inform its members of the availability of facilities for agricultural education and emphasise the value of continuing education to its members and the industry. The report, which was received, will go before the federation’s annual general meeting this week.