FREE EDUCATION.

Evening Star, Issue 24334, 24 October 1942, Page 4

FREE EDUCATION.

Thkhk was an expansive glow about a resolution that was submitted to the Education Board this week which may explain why it was passed without more analysis. The motion strongly affirmed the “ democratic principle of equality in education,” and expressed the opinion that “ free education from the kindergarten to the university should be the birthright of all worthy of it, irrespective of financial status.” Nothing could sound more admirable, but it •might have been worth while to consider how near we are already to the ideal, and whether the little more of benefit which the motion envisaged might not be Avon at too dear a price. ■ Actually it was not proposed that education free from the nursery rhyme to the degree stage should be applied to everyone, because the restricting phrase “ those worthy of it ” was interposed. The limitation was inevitable because, although equality of opportunity must be unchallengeable as a goal, no passion for democracy can alter the fact that human beings—even hoys and girls—are not alike. Some of them might continue to benefit from education reaching up to Litt.D standard; others, from a much earlier stage, might be better employed. What do we do uoav? We have free kindergartens; it would be well if there were more of them, though not. necessarily, for those who can afford to pay. From free primary schooling, which is compulsory, a child can go on to free teaching for the whole high schools’ course. If there are parents Ayho- cannot afford to let bright children take advantage of even such free education because of the necessity of putting them early to work, it is surprising how many parents in the past have refused to recognise the necessity. And a system of paying some 5 ' children for staying at school, which might seem to be required for perfect equality, would have difficulties of selection as well as cost. The University now is free if, and only if, a youth can win scholarships or bursaries, but those are generously provided for him all the way. More important, one might think, than the extension of free education, Avhen so much of it is already free, would be better lines of division between different kinds of education, so that hundreds of children who have no bent for academic . instruction would have more chance of pursuing their real aptitudes. Free school books are provided usually for those avlio need them. There are professional courses at the university which the sou of poor parents, even assisted by bursaries, can only go through at the cost of a fairly exacting struggle, but poor boys have always surmounted those difficulties and been better for the experience. On the Avhole, there are reforms in education which might well be given precedence to the programme of which tho chairman of the board (Mr James Wallace) said wisely that, if it were fully implemented, there would be an enprmous waste of money, time, energy, and people.