Technical and secondary joint study

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32636, 18 June 1971, Page 10

Technical and secondary joint study

The possibility of senior pupils from State secondary schools spending part of their school day attending courses by technical institutes is an idea supported by the principals of Christchurch State secondary schools. During an interview with “The Press” this week the Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys) agreed that such a nlan was a “distinct possibility.” He said that it would encourage greater liaison between both educational institutions. It would also be an imoortant means of catering for those senior pupils who did not wish to proceed immediately to university, or who did not wish to attend university at all.

In general the principals of the so-called “academic” high schools, whose pupils traditionally proceed straight to university, were less enthusiastic about the idea.

However all the principles agreed with the basis of the Minister’s suggestion. But they emphasised that the

scheme would need careful planning, especially to overcome the difficulty of fitting in time-tables. They thought that special liaison officers would be appointed.

“There is a great need to broaden the options being offered to senior pupils,” said the principal of Linwood High School (Mr J. Orman). It was in this process that the technical institutes could play the biggest part, he said. Secondary teachers must train themselves to recognise the opportunities being offered by technical institutes, said the principal of Aranui High School (Mr W. J A. Brittenden).

For such a scheme to be introduced a change in education regulations will be needed. At present a pupil cannot obtain free education from two institutions at the one time.

The principal of the Christchurch Technical Institute (Mr C. V. Gallagher) said the Minister of Education's statement was welcome.

“We must recognise that the main essential of secondary education is to provide a broadly-based liberal education,” he said. “Our schools have had a vocational bias because the

public has demanded bread-and-butter courses.

“I am firmly convinced that vocational training must not be undertaken until basic education is sufficiently advanced.”

The combination of secondary and technical institute courses provided an excellent opportunity to give motivation and ensure continuing general education, said Mr Gallagher. In the seventh form there were two main routes that a student could follow, he said.

First, students could do a basic seventh-form course (say three subjects) and anhance their sixth-form certificates.

Alternatively, many could benefit by doing a threesubject high school base and attend a technical institute to pass technicial subjects not taught at school.

Conditions were ideal for the Minister’s suggestion to be made a reality, Mr Gallagher said. “Both schools and institutes now are geared to proceed on a plan and the incentives are there. All that is needed is official approval for the attendance at two institutions.

“The prospect is exciting; the students would gain vital general education and, at the same time, would be well launched in their technical studies,” said Mr Gallagher.