EDUCATION REFORM

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 130, 4 June 1938, Page 8

EDUCATION REFORM

MR. FRASER PRAISED

A GENUINE ADVANCE

(By Telegraph.) (Special to the "Evenina rost.")

DUNEDIN, This Day,

In his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute, Mr. N. ilathieson said one could not but be struck by the real improvements made in education in New Zealand during the past two years or so. Mr. Fraser took office as Minister with a long list of arrears to be made up—a list formidable enough to daunt the stoutest heart. It said a great deal for him that he had managed in So short a time not only to put things back to the pre-depression state of affaire,' but also, particularly during the past year, to make a genuine advance. The institute owed allegiance to no political party, and rightly so. Political affiliations were a matter for the individual, but no one connected with education, whatever might be his political views, could in common justice refuse to grant to Mr. Fraser unstinted praise for his attitude towards ! the educational needs of this country. Prepared for his task by long years iof active interest, the Minister had ! shown an enlightened and sound i appreciation of the social value of an ' improved education system. Moreover, he had shown himself willing, in fact anxious, to take the initiative in in" i stituting reforms. The speaker cited as an example the new regulations for grading schools —the peak roll number. That was more than the institute had asked loiv—it. seamed more than it dared hope for when for years it had vainly fought for the substitution of the average roll for the ridiculous and inequitable average attendance, as the basis of staffing. .