The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER. 21, 1946. EDUCATION POLICY.

Evening Star, Issue 25928, 21 October 1946, Page 6

The Evening Star MONDAY, OCTOBER. 21, 1946. EDUCATION POLICY.

The 1 expansion - of -educational. opportunities. in New Zealand, which is announced by the Prime (Minister and which may be expected to stand, substantially, whatever party may he in office after next month’s appeal, will be generally approved, and hopes will be entertained that circumstances may make possible the realisation of the Government’s programme. There is, however, such a lag in staff, buildings, and other facilities that a rapid improvement cannot be expected. Most of the proposals are of a practical nature and can be generally commended, but it is clear that a good deal of farther consultation and discussion will be required before such questions as curricula can be determined. Mr Fraser has said that the Atrnore Report of 1930 had provided the basis for the consideration of a draft Education Bill. A good deal of woffk towards the preparation of the Bill was done before the war, but the plan was abandoned. It has now been resumed and legislation is to be introduced early next year. The Atrnore Report was most significant for its recommendation for the adoption of an agricultural bias in the education system of New Zealand. As one authority commented: “ The report sets clearly before the Dominion its essential destiny as an agricultural country, and invites it deliberately to make its whole education system predominantly Agriculturally minded. instead of 'academically and commercially minded as hitherto.” This aspect of education policy is of particular interest at the present time, when population trends .are under consideration. The extensive development of secondary industries resulting from the policy of the present Government has tended to accelerate the flow of population from the country to the towns. The Dominion Population Committee, which reported only last month, stated that “ at the moment there would appear to be very little scope for any major expansion of the agricultural population.” It is probable, therefore, that this cardinal aspect of the Atrnore Report may not be pressed to any great extent. Better opportunities are to bo provided, however, for the education of children in rural communities through consolidation, intermediate schools, and district high school's. As. a result of economies forced on tho previous Government by the 'depression, and the interruption of the programme during the war, there is much leeway to be made up before the standards envisaged by the Prime (Minister can be reached. He is on sound lines when he emphasises that more young people must be attracted to the teaching profession and that better training facilities should be provided. It is possible that the methods forced on the profession over the last twenty years would have had better results if the teachers had had opportunities for more complete training. The elaborate curriculum of the present days calls for more specialists among the teachers and smaller classes so that more individual tuition can bo given. The Prime Minister has promised a systematic review of the primary curriculum to be completed in conjunction with teachers. It will be widely hoped that on this question adequate consideration will be given to the views of postprimary experts and employers in establishing a curriculum that will be of the greatest value to the children in their later life, rather than give satisfaction to the theorists, whose influence in recent years has not always been beneficial.