MEN FOR AIR FORCE

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 78, 20 June 1941, Page 7

MEN FOR AIR FORCE

Educational Training ' Classes

N.Z. SCHEME ADOPTED ELSEWHERE

“Many a time since the commencement of the war we have been amazed and thrilled by the heroic exploits of our airmen,” said the Minister of Education, Mr. Mason, in an address last night on education for the Air Force. “With admiration and gratitude we have beheld the skill, courage and triumphant success with which they have met and defeated stronger hostile forces. These great and dramatic events do not happen without great preparation.” .

An explanation of one phase in the preparation of New Zealand airmen —the preliminary educational training scheme —was given by Mr. Mason. This scheme, he said, was one of the ways in which the educational facilities of this country were being utilized to further the war effort. The New Zealand scheme was an essential part

,f Air Force training here and was now being adopted as a model by other parts of the Empire.

Origin of Scheme.

Discussing the origin of the scheme, Mr. Mason said that in peacetime i was not difficult to secure all m mm. needed without an.\ specia ■•in pt preliminary education.'!- irainr.i- New Zealand’s maximum contribution to tin Royal Air Force before the woi was no more than about 100 trained pilota year, with a similar number an trained.

With a war requirement for New Zealand alone running into thousands of pilots annually with a need for more men for the air crews as observers and air gunners, it became ob vious that the pre-war scheme of selec tion did.not meet war conditions The decision was made therefore, to select the man irrespective of his educational qualifications and to bring him up to the necessary standard before tie went on to the ground training school. Levin In this way no man of the right type

would be missed.

Policy of Committee.

No man of the right type who had completed his primary school course was being rejected by the Air Crew Selection Committee. He was brought up to the standard in the air force classes or by correspondence while carrying on with his ordinary work.

“Already some thousands of men have passed through this preliminary educational course and some thou sands of others are in existing classes or are being handled by correspon deuce,” said Mr Mason. “Its adop tion by other parts of the Empire is a tribute to the scheme’s value and effectiveness, and reminds us that in this country . there is still that strong spirit of initiative which from its earliest settlement has been always a marked feature of our people.”