EDUCATIONAL REFORM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20761, 2 January 1931, Page 12

EDUCATIONAL REFORM.

Sir,—Tho inconsistencies of the heads of ths Education Department would ba ludicrous if they had not every chanci of being the cause of very heavy expense to tho taxpayers. The Minister of Education has proclaimed that his main object is to " abolish all class distinctions." If Mr. Atmoro possessed common senso lie would comprehend that birth, environment and money cannot be surmounted by any Act of Parliament, and that school children will always tend to form distinct classes under 'any conditions. Thjj Minister can, of course, dissolve the Government secondary schools, but the inevitable result of this "reform" will be that the children of tho better class will enter private schools that the department cannot interfere witll, and leave a residue to whom a secondary education will be of little valuo for the Government to experiment- on at tho taxpayers' expense. The Director of Education, who seems to labour under ihe delusion'that lie combines in his own person the authority of Chancellor, Senate and Court of Convocation, proceeds to an extreme that Oxford never dreamt of in its most exclusive days and suggests that the right to sit at" tho matriculation examination should be limited to pupils at secondary schools who will give an undertaking to filter a college. This is clearly an attempt to make a class distinction of the most snobbish type. Half tho candidalrs who sat at the recent matriculation could not comply with such a condition, and it is obvious that such a regulation would prevent private students obtaining a degree. It. would be illegal, under the Royal Charter of 1875 founding the university, for tho Director of Education to attemptto put, his suggestion? into practice, but the fact of its having been made is sufficient to show the danger our university is exposed to from ignorant politicians and autocratic officials. The public may not appreciate tho fact that owing to the interference of tho Minister of Education and his satellites our educational, system is fast sinking into a slate of chaos; however, when heavy taxation has to be imposed to restore matters, it will be realised that " educational reform" on Mr. Atmore'a. plan J3 1 too expensive for counted .Veritas.