E—2

1949 NEW ZEALAND

EDUCATION: PRIMARY AND POST-PRIMARY EDUCATION [In continuation of E-2 of 1948]

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency

Note.—Some of the tables have been omitted because the information or part of it can be obtained -elsewhere. These tables are as follows, and the tables to which reference can be made are also given : Table A s—see Table E 2 in E-l for median ages ; Table A 9—see Table 0 1 in E-l ; Table A 14— see Table E5 in E-l ; Table B 2—see Table E6 in E-l ; Table D 2—see Table E3 in E-l ; Table D 4—see Table Nin E-l ; Table E 2—see Table Din E-l ; Table J 2—see Table E5 in E-l. REPORT OF THE CHIEF INSPECTOR OF PRIMARY SCHOOLS (Mr. D. G. BALL) FOR THE YEAR 1948 Sir, — I have the honour to present my report for the year ended 31st December, 1948 Basic Principles Recent world events have put emphasis on education for democracy. Democracy needs not only more education, but education of a kind suitable to its purposes if the threat to its existence by internal stresses and strains, social and economic, is to be removed. All who plan the work of our schools must now more than ever before bear in mind the needs of the individual person and the needs of a changing democratic society. It is a democratic ideal to provide the means so that each child may develop to his fullest stature according to his innate endowment, and, since individual differences in mental ability and in emoWaal and physical constitution are so great, the good school is a flexible, many-sided institution. The aim of full personal development is, however, much more than a democratic ideal. It is also, from a pedagogical point of view, sound method. Only in comparatively recent times have educationists fully realized that the highest efficiency in formal or tool subjects comes from total all-round growth and development. The child who is identifying himself completely with the aims and purposes of the school (and he can do this if the school has been adjusted to his needs) is enjoying an intellectual and emotional harmony which will help him to bring to the tasks in hand the whole of his capacity whatever it may be. Consequently, the school must seek to discover potentialities and to take into account the