AGRICULTURE FIRST

Evening Star, Issue 20134, 26 March 1929, Page 15

AGRICULTURE FIRST

THE BIAS OF EDUCATION HEW MINISTER'S IDEAL {.Special to the * Sear.’] CHRISTCHURCH, March 25. Expressing liis belief that n change must come m the education system ot Now Zealand whereby greater attention would bo paid to the individuality of tho children, the Minister of Education (Mr Atmore) outlined his policy in ah interview with a ‘ Sun ’ reporter to-day. He said that modern civilised hie was in a continuous state of Jlux, with changes succeeding each other with remarkable rapidity; and everything which aimed at a preparation for Hie must be in a state of flux. Uniformity was abhorrent to nature, and the purpose of those engaged in the administration of education should be to educate boys and girls along the lines of their individuality. “ I do not believe that any but a small majority cavil at the money spent on education. Jf measured in proportion to the number of taxpayers it is a huge sum, but it is the finest investment that any Government could make. Everything in the future depends on the preparation of children for lho_ business of life. I have an open mind on everything, except that there must be a change. The present system was designed largely by academic minds for academic needs, but today workaday methods are required. I venture to say that 98 per cent, of the children who pass through the schools have to earn their living, and it has been recognised that their education must be associated with their needs, as well as with abstract ideas. It must bo recognised that every child in the schools is a separate entity, and has the right to get individual treatment; otherwise they will not get the best out of the educational system. It is absurd to try to get uniformity. “ During my term of office my best energies will be devoted to decreasing the number of pupils in a class, so that fairness will be done to the child and the teacher. Then we shall get tho free development of; the greatest national asset—the development of talent in boys- and girls. I cannot see why a primary school teacher should have a larger number of pupils than would be entrusted to one in a secondary school.”

_ The Minister said he would put agriculture first in importance in the education system, but it was always put last. He would put technical education second, commercial third, and then professional subjects. A system of education _ wholly dominated by academic considerations was an injustice to the children, a hindrance to the development of the proper assets and national resources, and partly responsible for unemployment in New Zealand to-day. Unemployment existed to-day because of the rapid increase of population by innnigration and natural increase, without an increase in the production of wealth. Unless there was an increase of primary products, so as to make a demand for products of the secondary industries, unemployment must increase, and any educational system that did not have a strong agricultural bias was bound to be a failure. Farming to-day was one of the sciences.