Sexual equality drive effect worries teachers

Press, 16 August 1985, Page 5

Sexual equality drive effect worries teachers

Teachers of manual subjects are concerned that the drive towards equal opportunities for boys and girls in schools could lower the quality of technical education.

They fear that moves to teach woodwork, metalwork, clothing, and home economics to both sexes will result in only half the necessary time being spent on each subject. Canterbury’s representative on the Manual Teachers’ Advisory Commit-

tee, Mrs Victoria Scally, said yesterday that the future of technical education would be doomed if the proposed reorganisation on Form 1 and 2 classes went ahead.

“They won’t have sufficient time to become confident and competent in the basic skills of the new home economics syllabus or the current draft syllabus of workshop skills and design. “These skills, which equip them for life, are as valuable as reading and maths,” she said.

Manual teachers in Canterbury are expected to discuss the proposed changes at a meeting with the president of the Post-Primary Teachers’ Association, Mr Tony Steele, on Monday. Mrs Scally said teachers were aware that parents wanted equal opportunities for their daughters and sons.

The proposed changes would allow equal opportunity, but would dramatically lower the over-all quality of education, she sank