More participation by community

Press, 7 September 1981, Page 4

More participation by community

PA Wellington Calling for greater community involvement in schools, the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) has said that education is “too important to be left to the professionals.” Mr Wellington told a world conference of teaching professions that community participation was increasing in education. It could be expected to increase even further in future, with considerable implications for the role of the teacher, the Minister said. He told more than 100 overseas teachers, as well as New Zealanders: “In all our societies there is the r&alisa-

tion that education is too important to be left to the professionals.” Teachers had to know their communities, be open to them, and be prepared to throw away their “no trespassing" signs, he said, applauding any move towards greater use by schools and communities of each other's “human and physical resources." There were, he said, four key components in the school community relationship: parental involvement in schooling; lay participation in educational administration; the use by schools of the community as a learning resource; and community educational institutions.