The Dominion. TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1917. MAKING EDUCATION PRACTICAL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2972, 9 January 1917, Page 4

The Dominion. TUESDAY, JANUARY 9, 1917. MAKING EDUCATION PRACTICAL

Ix is to bo hoped that oven the ?,bsorbing interest of the war and -the distractions of the holiday season did nob wholly divert public attention from an excellent address' delivered at Wanganui last week, to a gathering of Technical School teachers, by Mr. P. 'Note, M.A., head of the Department of Natural Science in the Seddon Memorial Technical College, Auckland. The address covered a number of subjects, bub its most interesting and important feature was.a lucid and convincing statement of the case for a measure of educational reEorm in this country which is widely recognised to be necessary, though not much has beon done yet to carry it into effect. The reform in question is that of imparting mof o practical value to our State system of education,.liioro especially beyond the primary by adjusting it, not as at present-to fcho needs of a comparatively limited proportion of the student*,'passing 'through the secondary Schools, but as far as possible to the varying needs of thewhole Idbdy of students. It is so well recognised that our existing system of secondary education is not vocational except to a minority of those who come within its scope, and thas reform would necessarily onfcail a big change over from academic to practical instruction, that a bare statement of these facts would.bo of little interest at this time of day. Mn. Nkve's -address is of value, however, on account of' the very clear outlino lie gave of tho line's upon.which ho thinks reform ought to proceed. It may bb noted that some of his contentions are controversial. For , instance,.he is content to take-the termination of the primary course as a starting t point, holding that *thc primary course is a broad one, and, if faithfully covered, affords a. satisfactory foundation aliko for secondary, technical, or vocational training to follow. Sorno of those who have- experienced the benefits and the shortcomings of primary instruction in Now Zealand and have more or less closely observed its later working and results, may be inclined to find fault with this verdict. Whether it would be a sufficiently comprehensive reform to introduce-a new classification of students at the beginning of the secondary school course is a moot point. . But that such a classification would in, itself make for greater *«J m education is undeniable, lho lines which Mb. Neve considers the classification should follow will be seen in tho following quotations from the report of his address-—

lho students, both male and female, who showed marked literary ability should pass to tho secondary schools; all toys who exhibited special aptitude for mathematics or science should pass into technical classes to receive thero the broad practical Itraining prided; while tliose who were proficient' in mathematics and science as well as literature should bo allowed to choose for themselves. The rest of tho boys, as well as gixle, not entering: the secondary schools, iifhoukl receive vocational training, in which general education would be of a simple character, and effort would at once be more directly concentrated on the specific occupation the pupil had taken or intended to take up. The technical and vocational classes should be under tho same control. To allow those of limited means to avail themselves of tho education provided, monetary help should be given where special aptitude was shown. A considerable .extension of the scholarship system would meet the case. That there might be no encroachment on individual liberty, the parent who objected to the particular form of education selected for Iris child should bo allowed to choose somo other on payment of a. reasonable fee, with the proviso that vocational training- should always be free. The classification of students should be So arranged that those takinpr the secondary course would be reduced to about one-fourth of the present number. Thero might then be some reasonable relation between the number receiving secondary education and that following professions in which such education would be an advantage. At present, custom and a perverted public sentiment favoured an academic training which tho average etudent was incapable of receiving. . . . To the number now receiving technical ov vocational training would bo added three-fourths of those who at present attended the secondary Rchools, ns well ns all those who had hitherto been contented with tho primary course alone. ! Splendid vocational work was already being done in npxicmlture, business traming, and domestic science, but this division needed groat extension.

In the later passages of his address Mr. Neve laid justifiable emphasis upon the special claims of agricultural education and upon the desirability of modifying the essentially academic attitude adopted by the University and encouraging and extending research work. Me. Neve's presentation of the facts must strengthen a conviction that, in tho interests of/ efficiency, the- system of secondary instruction should be as soon as possible recast. Expense, possibly very heavy oxpense, is involved, but it is necessary in this connection to consider ■whether we can afford to continuo a system of education which works out, in a much lover standard of national efficiency than might be attained. The Minister o! Education,'

to whom wo are entitled to look for practical initiative in matters of this kind, has freely affirmed the necessity of substituting vocational training for what is useless or misapplied in tho existing secondary system, but he has done- little more.. Some months ago_ regulations were gazotted which stiffen tho examinations for proficiency and competency certificates,' and so tend to limit admission to ths ordinary secondary schools, but little, if anything, has been done towards broadening tho scope of technical and vocational training under a, proper system of classification. A better illustration of the fact could not be desired than is provided in the continued failure to provide the bare essentials of accommodation for the otherwise excellent Technical College which exists in Wellington. This limping progress and neglect where a vital reform is demanded will not do. In order that the. best may be made of this country, by the development of its. primary and secondary industries and in other ways, .it is essential that we should greatly improve upon bur present standards of education. Drifting is foolish, and will prove costly, and tho question upon which all possible emphasis should be laid is: How long can we afford to refrain from setting tho machinery of reform in motion?