THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1922. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIII, Issue 4430, 21 June 1922, Page 2

THE Hauraki Plains Gazette. With which is incorporated THE OHINEMURI GAZETTE. Motto: Public Service. MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 21, 1922. OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

• ■ - — The expenditure of the New Zealand Education Department has increased by no less than 92 per cent during the past four years—from /1,689,707 in 1917 to /3,224,058 in 1921. Few, if any, would grudge even this high expenditure, if satisfied that we were getting full value for our money, but there are evidences that this is not the case. We are justly proud of our education system, which is doubtless a very good one, but are we not inclined to over-estimate its value? If we are to judge by the criticism of one of the Canadian “exchange” teachers, New Zealand has much to learn in this important department. This Canadian teacher, with eight years of experience of teaching in Winnipeg, who has been working in our Dominion for the past eight months, compares New Zealand with Canada, very much in favour of the latter country. She says : — “Our equipment is much better than yours. We have more accommodation, better appliances, single desks, free school books, paper, pens, and ink; we are not so. formal in our schooll methods, and do not mark everything out by rule without liberty to the teachers to develop their own special gifts ; our school libraries are better and more numerous; and we place before everything the building up of character, the attractiveness of learning, and the broadening of the pupils’ minds by good books, elevating music, and manliness and womanliness generally.” The teacher in question also wanted to know why more New Zealand history is not taught in our schools, urging that it was the duty of educationists to see that the children understood and loved and took pride in their country. The lady modestly disclaimed belief that there was any particular value in heropinions, but some of her criticisms have much in common with the comparisons made between Canadian and New Zealand schools by one or two teachers from this Dominion who visited Canada last year. This criticism should lead our experts to carefully consider the matters referred to in a broad light. We cannot afford to be left behind in this supremely-important matter, and we should not be ashamed to benefit by the experience of our sister Dominion.