EDUCATION POLICY

Evening Post, Volume XCVIII, Issue 47, 25 August 1919, Page 7

EDUCATION POLICY

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I notice a remarlcable expression ohopinion by Mr. Parkinson on behalf of the Teachers' Institute, to the effect that the Institute was opposed to any grants being made to private schools. There is a strong tendency on the part of a section of the community to laud the teacher up to the skies, and I suppose he is shortly to teach us our politics as well as the ordinary educational, subjects. Now, in the Civil Service, I feel sure that the public would object strongly to, .say, the Labour Department officials taking up the attitude that they were opposed to some extension of the Labour laws. Th* officials in the other State Departments, even when asked for an opinion by the Ministers, furnish the facts,' but refuse to hazard an opinion on policy matters. This is a wise rule, which tends to make the officials loyally carry out what-the.! Government decides. I therefore suggest that the Teachers' Institute should stick to the business of teaching as required by law, and should leave the Government to- decide . snch matters as legislation, without giving opinions that are not called for, except, of course, where such questions as salaries, holidays, or the like are involved. Wo are getting a little too much of the tyranny of State experts.—l am, etc., OBSERVER. 21«t Augu*t. v.