Funds for metric teaching aids

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32801, 29 December 1971, Page 12

Funds for metric teaching aids

The expenditure of $505,000 over the next three years has been approved to supply the necessary equipment, textbooks and support materials to education institutions for conversion to metrics.

The Minister of Education (Mr Taiboys) said it had been decided two years ago that primary schools would gradually phase out the study of imperial units of measurement by mid-1972. After that all measurement studies would be in metric units. In secondary schools the change would take place from the beginning of 1973. The Minister said the rate of change for the teaching of technical subjects would be governed by the availability of metric tools and ' equipment, the rate at which various trades and industries made the transition, and the ( particular needs and abilities ( of groups of pupils. , Most pupils would have | changed by the end of 1974. i “To prepare pupils for ex- ( aminations it will be neces- ( sary to provide the bulk of f the equipment, textbooks and I support material by the end t of 1972,” Sir Taiboys said.

"The question of conversion to metrication in technical institutes is being separately considered, especially since it involves some .retraining.”