Education Inquiry Not ‘Shrewd Move'

Press, Volume C, Issue 29509, 10 May 1961, Page 14

Education Inquiry Not ‘Shrewd Move '

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 9. The establishment of the Commission on Education to report on the subject of religion and on public education was not a politically shrewd move to avoid facing up to a dangerous issue, declared the president of the New Zealand Council for Christian Education (Dr. J. D. Salmond) in an address to the council’s annual general meeting. "No system of religious education in schools can be of any value unless there is a large measure of agreement about its character and necessit" among educational administrators, teachers, church men and the general public,” he said. The commission’s establishment was a recognition of this fact, said Dr. Salmond. In his opinion the decision to include religious education in the commission’s terms of reference was wise. “Many people accused political leaders of making a shrewd move to avoid facing up to a controversial and politically dangerous issue. “While politicians have to accept responsibility for decisions involving changes in the law on a matter like religion in education, such decisions should not be the result of lobbying by interested parties or of election promises, but should be made on the recommendations of a carefully selected group of

people who are competent in the field of education and who are sensitive to the moral and spiritual needs of New Zealand’s young people," he said. In the present investigations, individuals and groups had had every opportunity of putting their view before the commission. The council for Christian Education had presented as strong a case as it could and was content to leave the findings to the commission, said Dr. Salmond.