Education System

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 144, 3 June 1936, Page 9

Education System

DEBATED BY HOUSE Director’s Report on Overseas Visit AIMS FOR THE FUTURE By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, Juno 2. The House of Representatives this afternoon discussed the report of the Director of Education on his visit overseas. The Bev. Clyde Carr (Govt., Timaru) said that the report was a valuable one. He said that the object of the visit of the director was to have the best points of other systems adopted in the New Zealand system and to eliminate the worst points in the New Zealand system. The New Zealand system was based on the English system, but it had not advanced and was now chaotic.

Tho differences of opinion were so great that in New Zealand they had not even decided on a starting-off point for reform, and .it was time something was done to put the house iu order as far as education was concerned. New Zealand, he added, could learn much from England and America. He praised the intermediate-school system and hoped that the time was not far distant when that system would be extended and the benefits derived from it would be apparent. New Zealand had adopted that system but had improved it out of sight. The aim oi education to-day should be to tir'ng out what was in; not to try to put in what, was out. Tho recommendations of the director regarding art, handicrafts and domestic science appealed to him very much. An assembly hall for each school was also a valuable suggestion.

EVIL OF CRAMMING. Mr W. A. Bodkin (Nat., Central Otago), said it was difficult to obtain a clear perspective of education and the value of the report because leading educationists differed on the main principles of education adopted in almost every country. Ho thought, that the consolidation of schools had gone a long way towards solving educational difficulties in country districts und that it would be a retrograde step to restrict consolidation to singleteacher schools, as the teachers themselves suggested. Mr O. Wilson (Govt., Rangitikei), said it did not seem to him that it was necessary for the Director of Education to have made a world tour in order to put forward the few comparatively minor improvements that ho suggested. His statement that a period of from seven to 11 years must remain one of almost drudgery was not in keeping with the experience of other parts of the world, and it was largely responsible for the desire to avoid education in the later stages of life. The cramming into children at early ages of facts most of which were soon forgotten prevented them from thinking. He thought that more time should be devoted to economic and political science.

He claimed that examinations in New Zealand were merely to find out how many facts a child knew, not how he had been taught to think for himself. He also thought that the age of 13 was too young for a child to be started on a vocational system of training. Ho paid tribute to the teachers, who were interested in their work and who did it because they were interested. He hoped that New Zealand would be able to go a good deal further than they had been able to go up to the present. N.Z. WELL ADVANCED. Air S. G. Smith (Nat., New Plymouth.) said that considerable progress had been made in New Zealand in ils educational system, and those who had had the opportunity vo Gacb in ci her countries agreed that New Zealand was well advanced, thougn there were still many things that could lie learned. New Zealand had a good general system of post-primary education, A large percentage of primary-school chiklran went on to secondary schools and a very small percentage were paying pupus. Lie cousidercn iLat if they could only divorce tuo financial aspect irom the academic -irh of educate, n much cause lor criticism would no e.tim mated He thought that the Minister, when reviewing education legislation should have some amendments made to the present grading system. He did not think that a teacher should be appointed to a vacancy merely because ue had Higher inaiks when there were circumstances that suouid have special consideration. He claimed chat auy criticism ot the director’s report woulu be recalled when its full effect, on the legislation the Minister would no dotiiii introduce, was seen. Air T. H AicCombs tGovt., Lyttei ton; said that New Zealand schools had an academic bias and that more time was spent ou arithmetic and spelling than in America aud some other countries. .Many aritinuejqc processes were taught winch would never bo used, and spelling was not, considered very im portam. He though the New Zealand syllabus was 100 watertight.

I 'll ACTIOa BLI LMI’KO YEMENI’. Air It. A Wright (Independent, Wellington Suburbs; said lie wished to congratulate the direitoi on snverul parts oi the repoU, Out on one IU pur ticular and that was that fit hurl pul brought in a luucy report composed u | things that would cost bimareda bl thousands ol pounds and things that it would be absolutely impossible to earn out He had nevei favoured a crowded ciiriKiiliun. und thought that teachers should lie well prepared and that there should not be too frequent ihange.s ui teachers. He hoped that Ihe Alinistei and his department would do then best to help students at tram nig colleges and to turn them mu pro perly equipped. Air 11. Atmore (Independent, Nelson) opposed large classes of 60 or 80 in primary schools because in those hi liaise- lie -i{;l if lido- < ; | Ihe ehil-

dren could not be discovered. He thought, too, that higher salaries should be paid to teachers.

MINISTER’S REPLY. Replying to the debate the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, said he thought that New Zealand, in common with other countries, had been too much under the tyranny of examination. The question of examinations and the grading of teachers were two fundamental matters that must receive consideration. Some thought must be given to the question of whether the time had not arrived for the removing of all examinations that acted as a barrier to the progress of the child.

Mr Fraser said he would be sorry it the idea got abroad that the director had returned filled with smug satisfaction regarding the New Zealand educa tion system. The director was i ery sympathetic towards any advance iu education, and he and the department were contemplating real advances iu education; but it was just a question of when, with the help of Parliament, they would be able to be put into operation. He thought that technical colleges were a little better off than high schools, but that did not mean they were getting enough. New Zealand education in the pasl hud' been us good as could be found anywhere, and in part it was not as bad as could be found anywhere, lie believed that if the system wore given an opportunity to develop as good results could bo achieved as would be found anywhere in the world. He was looking to all who were in terested to help so that children could be helped to be given an opportunity to develop and to think for themselves. The report was referred to the Government for consideration.