TH EEDUCATIONAL STANDARDS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue 92, 19 July 1881, Page 2

TH EEDUCATIONAL STANDARDS.

We have to thank the Hew Mr Habens, Inspector-General, for forwarding to thiß office a «op> qI the pamphlet recently , ; issued from his office on the Standards of Education in New Zealand. The pamphlet consists of the Order in Council dated September ,24; 1878, with copious notes appended, the latter containing so much sound sense that they cannot fail to be :of very great service to the teachers. Mr" Habens evidently has a keen dislike to the cramming process, as is evidenced by the ; following extract: — " Teachers . shpuld - always remember that .the standards represent • the minimum of attainments of which the Inspector will require evidence at each stage. ' Children ought not to be presented even for the First Standard until the teacher is satisfied that they can pass it with ease. The process known as ' cram ' applied to one standard will render farther • cram ' necessary for the ' next, and the next ; and in this way the pupil will be continually harassed throughout his whole school-course, without acquiring any substantial knowledge, and will probably suffer both in health and in character, and lose all interest in learning of every kind. The candidate who is fit to pass ought to be able to regard the examination without dread, and to look forward to it as a'pleas- -.■ . ■int opportunity of showing what: lie can really do. Every educated man knows in a comparatively vague way a great deal more than he could exhibit precise knowledge of at an examination ; and the standards are not meant to be used as a rack, to extort from children a broken utterance of the last facts and ideas that have begun to take hold of their memory and intelligence. They are not sent to school to pass in the standards, but to be educated. If they are being educated, a certain portion of their knowledge at each stage of their progress will settle down and become definite and solid — just as their bones harden — and the standard examinations are designed to ascertain the decree in which this: process is taking place." The other notes are all of uqual merit, and prove that the present Inspector-General is in every way fitted foifT the position he holds. We regard the publication of the pamphlet referred to as most' opportune, and consider it cannot fail to have an important effect m improving the working of our national scheme of education.