Education policy

Press, 5 June 1982, Page 14

Education policy

Sir—Sylvia Ashton Warner (that remarkable New Zealand teacher, innovator and authoress) was a prophet without honour in her own country. She remarked frequently on the educational establishment here being under the dark, musty crinoline of Victorian times. The Education Department did all in its power to keep her books “Teacher” and “Spinster” out of bookshops. These attitudes of resistance to change and a desire to put the clock back seem to be the most prominent features of the policies delivered from “on high” today. News that student work schemes will be cut out. grants for adult education halved, bursaries .for teachers' college students cut makes dire reading. This visionless Government seems to operate solely on the basis of economic rather than social needs. Higher education will soon be a prerogative solely of the rich. Is this really New Zealand the way we want it?—Yours, etc., JILL WILCOX. June 3, 1982.

Sir—Mr Wellington’s announcement of the decision to abolish the studentship allowance for teacher trainees fills me with anger and alarm. This scheme-will make the cost of training prohibitive for many potential teachers — after struggling through university for four years on the meagre standard bursary how many will be able to afford a further year of hardship? Older people with experience outside of educational institutions will have little incentive to train as teachers. 1 for one, with home and family commitments would not be able to afford the luxury. Teacher trainees are usually not even able to supplement their income by doing regular part-time work because of their course requirement of teaching practice outside Christchurch during their

year at college. Teaching will indeed become a profession for an elite, and what will this do to the quality of teaching in New Zealand? — Yours, etc., Ms LIZ THOMAS. June 3. 1982.