‘Full circle’ in education policies in N.Z.

Press, 7 September 1981, Page 4

‘Full circle’ in education policies in N.Z.

PA Wellington A great need is evident for consolidation of New Zealand’s .education policies, says the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington). A continuing review and development of the curriculum in primary and secondary schools had taken place in the last 30 years, Mr Wellington told a world conference of teaching professions. “I believe we have come full circle." While a halt to change was neither possible nor desireable, Mr Wellington said there was little profit in change for change’s sake. “I think we have reached a stage when we should be focusing our energies on wringing every advantage possible from those recent changes,'which, by common consent, have proven to be successful.” Most of the initiatives in syllabus revision and curriculum development in recent years had a direct bearing on the educational and social needs of children who were at risk under school programmes “as* we have known them,” Mr Wellington said. “They reflect the growing concern to link knowledge, skills and attitudes gained from study at school with the job opportunities and the social well-being of schoolleavers.”

Mr Wellington said the trend was exemplified by his recent decision to set up revision committees in computer education, in agriculture, in workshop crafts and in home economics, to establish a health education project team, and to endorse the work in progress in energy education. “Basic, of course, to any education programme, is the need’for constant vigilance of the fundamental reading and mathematical skills.”

The Minister told the conference the most significant change in teaching was that, since the 19605, the teacher had moved off the dais. , “The teacher-dominated, expository chalk-and-taik method has been replaced by student-centred. inquirybased learning." In future there would be greater emphasis on individualised learning, with a changed structure of teacherpupil relationships.