CHANGES IN EDUCATION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 24 June 1943, Page 4

CHANGES IN EDUCATION

SCHOOL LEAVING AGE MR ATMORE MAKES SUGGESTIONS (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, This Day. In supporting the Minister of Education (Mr H. G. R. Mason) in his proposal to raise the school leaving age to 15 years, Mr H. Atmore (Ind., Nelson), in his speech in the Budget Debate in the House of Representatives last night, said that the Government should go even further and raise the leaving age to 17 years. He said that until the war broke out the school leaving age in Russia was 17 years. It was not creditable to New Zealand that girls of 14 years of age should hpve been engaged in factory work. There were many other improvements that could be made in New Zea land’s education system, continued Mr Atmore. He believed that education in New Zealand had become static. Life was passing us by, but it must be recognised that there was nothing static to-day. Old landmarks were being ob literated and the only education apt tern that should be in operation was one that recognised the changing civil isation. Many things would have to be put in the curricula that were not recognised to-day. He thought it was necessary to have still smaller classes both in primary and secondary school*, especially in primary schools, where children had to be taught how to learn. Secondary schools should train children in the right kind of literature to use. There should be education along lines of discovered aptitudes. To give service should be the supreme aim of education.