National School Week begins tomorrow

Press, 12 April 1980, Page 3

National School Week begins tomorrow

National School Week begins tomorrow. The concept of the week, organised bv the New Zealand Educational Institute, is to focus community attention on the achievements and problems of primary, intermediate, and area schools. In Canterbury, the community will have the opportunity to visit schools and ask questions. The schools will not put on a show but will open themselves to public scrutiny for a week while continuing with their normal activities. The N.Z.E.I. has sent activity kits to all primary and intermediate schools in New Zealand advising them how to publicise the week, how to organise activities, and how to decide what their school priorities are. To establish the extent of communitv interest in schools, the Canterbury branch of the N.Z.E.I. sent a questionnaire to 412 Christchurch households. Replies were received from 238, or 58 per cent. Mathematics was the most important school subject to 62 per cent of those who replied and English came second with 33 pax Read-

ing and spelling came third and fourth. Physical education and social studies drew no response. A general satisfaction with subjects and activities now taught in schools was shown but some replies pointed to subjects they thought were unnecessary in schools. Religion and music were the most popular suggestions while an equal number thought that more music should be taught. The North Canterbury branch chairman of the N.Z.E.I.' (Mr A. Graham) said that most of the replies did not have enough support to warrant serious consideration. P.T.A. meetings were generally poorly supported by those who answered the questionnaire. Most had been to only one P.T.A. meeting while their children had been at the school. School concerts and sports days were ■well attended. Asked if they knew enough about their children’s school, 52 per cent said yes and 48 per cent said no. Mr Graham said that the biggest problem facing schools was that parents lacked information about what was happening there and what subject®

were being taught. Parents also lacked the interest to School pupils will put on displays throughout Christchurch next week. On Wednesday, Heaton Intermediate will perform gymnastics, music, and drama in the Merivale Shopping Mall and will run an information bureau for shoppers who want information about schools and the activities that will be offered during the week.