NEW FREEDOM

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 189, 7 May 1940, Page 8

NEW FREEDOM

Abolition Of Proficiency Certificate WORK IN SCHOOLS “Some three years ago the primary schools of this country were freed from external examinations of any kind,” said the president, Mr. D. C. Pryor, in his address at the annual conference of the New Zealand Educational Institute in Wellington yesterday. "As a result we have been able to introduce into our schools a freedom which was not liefore possible—to bring the curriculum in our schools more closely in touch with the daily lives of the pupils. “I sincerely believe that this has resulted in a wonderful uplift in the work of our teachers and of the product of our schols. Teachers all over the country have been able to introduce into their classrooms methods of instruction and revisions of curriculum which have meant in many cases.a completely new outlook on methods and objectives of the work in the “It was to be expected that such a change, amounting in many cases almost to a revolution, should have led to mistakes being made. Some teachers have perhaps been over enthusiasticothers over conservative. But we have now reached a stage where a happy medium has been attained, and I venture to say that the elimination of the proficiency certificate has resulted iu a tremendous improvement iu the work of our schools. “It was to be expected, also, that the introduction of new methods—-new freedom—should lead to some criticism. In the main that criticism has been fair, but in many cases seems to be based on a wrong conception of what is meant by ‘freedom.’ To suggest Unit it means lack of discipline is entirely wrong. I hope the day will never come when our children will be freed from discipline—in some cases I hope of a rigid type. “Under new freedom, far from encouraging lack of discipline, we should be. aijd, indeed, we are, developing discipline in its highest and most enduring forms— self-discipline aud the ability to so conduct oneself that whilst retaining the greatest measure of personal freedom full recognition is always given to the rights and privileges of others.