EDUCATION IN N.Z.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 204, 30 August 1943, Page 1

EDUCATION IN N.Z.

“PATCHWORK” CRITICISED (P.A.) Christchurch. Aug. 27. Concern at the “low standard of education in essentials like English and arithmetic of pupils entering postprima. y schools” was expressed at the conference in Christchurch yesterday, of principals and board members of Dominion technical schools. Mr. I. E. Newton, principal of the Wanganui Technical College, said that teachers should be given charge of classes to instruct fundamentals instead of operating on theories of a "lot of educational cranks.” Mr. W. A. Armour, retired headmaster of Wellington College, said the present system was a patchwork. He proposed a new system of junior and senior schools covering five and sevenyear periods respectively; the junior schools to teach rudiments and the senior schools in the first four years to give a diversified general course and discover aptitude, with the last, three years given to vocational courses; after that, universities and technicolour institutes. With only a few dissenting voices a motion was carried expressing concern at the present low' standards. Some speakers said they resulted from the new primary curriculum and hoped that a similar result would not come from the new curriculum being planned for secondary schools.