Moore warns of technology gap

Press, 8 March 1989, Page 2

Moore warns of technology gap

PA Wellington New Zealand was in danger of becoming technologically illiterate, the Minister of External Relations and Trade, Mr Moore, said yesterday. Education was among the key issues confronting New Zealand as it tried to develop an international marketing perspective and global outlook, Mr Moore told a banking function in Wellington. “Right now we’re not doing too

well,” he said. Only about 23 per cent of young New Zealanders reach the seventh form, compared with 82 per cent in the United States and 92 per cent in Japan. “We’re an exporting nation. In many areas these countries are our direct competitors and when others are advancing rapidly, to stand still means falling further behind. “Some of our kids leave school as early as the fourth form and

out of every 100 who enter the fifth form, only nine will go on to attain any technical qualifications at all.” He said too many pupils chose subjects easier than maths and science or developed skills for which there were no job opportunities. “In an age of technology, we’re in danger of becoming a techno-

logically illiterate country.” Parents had to bear some of the responsibility for this, Mr Moore said, for allowing or encouraging children to follow courses “that may be a short cut to the dole queue. We need better attitudes from our people, attitudes that say education is important, not just as a concept of education for life, but more importantly as preparation for earning a living,” Mr Moore said.