EDUCATION REPORT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22435, 3 June 1936, Page 15

EDUCATION REPORT

TOUR OF DIRECTOR DISCUSSION IN HOUSE DEFENCE BY EX-MINISTER [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] WELLINGTON, Tuesday A discussion of the report of the Director of Education, Mr. H. T. Lambourne, on his recent tour abroad, occupied the House of Representatives this afternoon. " I think New Zealand has a good deal to be thankful for in its education system," said Mr. S. G. Smith (Opposition—New Plymouth), who was Minister of Education in the last Government. " I do not know of any other country where the teachers have such freedom in their presentation of the subjects in the syllabus." It was on his recommendation, he continued, that Cabinet had agreed to send the Director of Education abroad. The present Education Act had been passed in 1914, and the time had arrived for a revision and consolidation of the education laws. Problems to be Faced " The question of down grading, the need for a new system of paying teachers and many other aspects of the subject were exercising the attention of the last Government," said Mr. Smith. "It was decided that, before undertaking a review of the system, it would be advisable to send the director abroad —the first time that had happened for 30 years. The present director is particularly well fitted by training and temperament to undertake such a task. I feel sure that in the future when reforms are being brought about, the full value of this report will be appreciated."

" It is all very well for the Director of Education to get some comfort from the fact that we appear to compare very favourably with other countries in our system of education," said Mr. H. Atmore (Independent—Nelson). " That conclusion is not sufficient for us. We have led tho world in certain aspects of legislation, and there is no reason why we should not lead the world in applied education." Mr. Atmore expressed the hope that the Government would take action to absorb the kindergartens and the Workers' Educational Association iu the education system. Trip Thought Unnecessary " In my opinion it was not necessary for the Director of Education to have made a world tour to put forward the few comparatively minor suggestions that are contained in his report," said Mr. G. H. 0. Wilson (Government — Rangitikei). "Those suggestions could have been made by anyone who had studied the position, without going out of the country, especially as the main* recommendations were concerned with restoring the education system to the position which existed before the economies were brought about." More attention should be given in the schools to political science, phyeiology, hygiene and other subjects which were at present hardly touched on. Those aspects were not dealt \fith in the report, which was devoid of any practical suggestions as to how any definitely forward moves in education might be made. The examination system was slso criticised by Mr. Wilson, who said it encouraged a policy of instilling facts rather than of enabling children to think for themselves. Consolidation of Schools

The suggestion that the consolidation of schools should be limited to one-teacher schools was criticised by Mr. W. A. Bodkin (Opposition— Central Otago). It would, he said, be a very retrograde step. Mr. Bodkin deplored the fact that the director had failed to deal with correspondence schools in his report. The correspondence schools in New Zealand wera giving a magnificent service to the Dominion and it would have been interesting to have had a comparison with the experience in other countries. "The technical schools are very largely the Cinderella of the education system iu New Zealand," said Mr. H. E. Herring (Government —Mid-Canter-bury). Mr. Herring said that he had served as an engineering instructor in technical schools for 20 years. "The technical schools do not get the grants they should get," he added, "and although there are frequent cases of high schools with endowments, I have never heard of a technical school getting anything of the kind. I do not see the need discrimination between the two types of schools. Technical Training "There are not enough cases where technically-trained men are in charge of the schools. Out of about 55 technical schools, 1 know of only throe cases where qualified engineers are principals " Answering the criticism of the report, the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Eraser, said:—"l would bo sorry if the idea got abroad that tho director returned to New Zealand in a state of mind approaching smug satisfaction with what we have here. If lie had had more time and money I am sure that he would have visited other countries where interesting educational experiments aro being made. 1 can assure members that the director is sympathetic with every advance move in education, and that he and the Government are contemplating real advances in the t-ducational life of the community. It is just a question of how soon we will bo able to put those advances into operation."