EDUCATION AFFAIRS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1929, Page 5

EDUCATION AFFAIRS

NEWEST BOOKS DISAPPROVED.

JJy Telegraph, Per Press Association.]

WELLINGTON, Alay 15,

The Educational Conference carried a remit regretting that the new text hooks in arithmetic and history are not in accord with educational ideals.

One delegate said there was not enough meat in them for children to chew it.

SECONDARY SCHOOLS ASSN. WELLINGTON, May 15

Addressing the Secondary Schools Association, the Minister of Education, Jflon H. Atmore, unhesitatingly declared the present system of education was too academic. It was not sufficiently in tune with life as a boy or girl would have to meet it. The present system was no reflection on the teachers. Governments had to take full responsibility for the educational policy, and he would take the full responsibility fomhis policy. When lie declared it the system would have been devised to meet New Zealand’s needs. He repeated his previous attitude that agriculture would have more attention. The importance of getting the best trained teachers possible could not he emphasised too thoroughly, he said. When speaking of Training Colleges, consolidation in tliie country districts was also mentioned by Air Atmore as a part of his policy, also a reduction on the size of classes.