EDUCATION TRENDS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 140, 15 May 1936, Page 9

EDUCATION TRENDS.

THE CO-OPERATIVE SPIRIT. MINISTER’S OBSERVATIONS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 13. An appeal to all sections to co-oper-ate for the good of the child was made by the Minister of Education (Hon. P. Fraser), in an address to-day to the delegates o-f the New Zealand Educational Institute, the Secondary Schools’ Association, and the Technical School Teachers’ Association conferences. Teachers and people generally, Mr Fraser said, had to ask themselves what exactly were they trying to accomplish. Did the present technique of education, the equipment of schools, of the examination and of grading svstems really embody their conception of what schooling and education should- be P The industrial system had formerly required a minimum of education and had fostered the competitive spirit in its worst aspect Fortunate! v, however, tha general idea was receding and was being replaced i,y a spirit of co-operation. In education therefore, they should endeavour to clarify their ideas and to think not in terms of 50, 40, or 30 years ago but of the present age, its requirements, ideals, and aspirations. The unification of all forms of education was favoured by the Minister, who appealed to teachers not to let vested interests affect their views toward various iorms of education—primary, intermediate, technical, and be ßeferrfilg to the size of the classes, the Minister gave an assurance that, as fast as teachers could be trained and accommodation provided, so would classes be reduced to a reasonab“Tfie present Government are sincere in asking you whether you are interested in secondary, primary technical or University education, said the Minister in conclusion, for your co-operation and assistance in endeavouring to make our educational system second to none in the noild.