N.Z.E.I. POLICY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 65, 14 September 1943, Page 3

N.Z.E.I. POLICY

POST-WAR EDUCATION

The policy of the N.Z.E.I. uport postwar educational reconstruction was put before the Wellington School Committees and Educational Association at its meeting last night by Mr. J. Barnett, its president. Mr. F. W. Porter presided. In the new social order everyone anticipated when the war'was over, said Mr. Barnett, education must play a vital part. Reforms were being planned, some almost complete, touching almost every aspect of education. Amongst them were first the reduction of the size of classes to a maximum of 35 pupils, which would, of course,mean increased teaching staffs, and following that the immediate publication of modern comprehensive text-books in ample quantity. There should be equal educational opportunities for all capable of taking advantage of them, irrespective of the economic, social, or financial status of the parents, and there should be increased educational facilities in the rural areas. Thorough research to evolve a code of suggestions for post-war education was necessary. , v At present there were neither the re- - quisite number of teachers, nor the necessary buildings. There should be no necessity for teachers and pupils to raise money for educational equipment. The increase of grants to school committees and the reorganisation of their functions was, he said, advocated by the N.Z.E.1.; to enable them to provide from their funds the needs of each school, in equipment, care of buildings, heating, etc., in addition to the standard departmental equipment. Many children had not the opportunity of attending postprimary schools. District high schools should be able to teach boys so that- if they wished they could go back on to the land, instead of drifting into the towns. The country people would like to see their boys and girls go back to them in that way. Bursaries might be, introduced where secondary education was wanted. It was found that students went from secondary schools into training, colleges, and went on to the teaching staffs too soon. Training of young teachers should be for four years at least. . '