EDUCATION PROBLEMS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 680, 4 June 1929, Page 7

EDUCATION PROBLEMS

RETURN FOR EXPENDITURE INADEQUATE MINISTER ON REFORMS There is 95 per cent, of New Zealand's worth coming from the land, yet 95 per cent, of the money spent on education is used to fit boys and girls for city occupations,” said the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, in an address at today's luncheon of the Auckland Advertising Club. Taking as the subject of bis address a general survey of the Dominion’s education problems, Mr. Atmore said that full value was not being received for the £44,000,000 spent on education. New Zealand, with England, was dominated in its education system by university ideas. Education, in reality, was a preparation for the business of life, and as there were no duplicates in Nature, a system of uniformity was undesirable. “I believe,” be said, “that unemployment is due to false educational objectives. The population of the country had increased, but there had been no corresponding effort to increase the output from tile laud. There is an outlook that the object of education is to fit people for clerkships, but what we really want is to interest boys and girls in the science of agriculture.” The Minister went on to say that teachers should be enabled to discover the peculiar aptitudes of pupils, but this was not possible in big classes. Reduction in the size of classes was necessary, and this would be brought about as soon as possible. Referring to his personal aims, Mr. Atmore said he intended to see every schoolboy and girl in the Dominion. Private schools would be visited as well as public, because he wanted to learn of the development of every boy and girl no matter where educated. Speaking further of the private schools, he said that he believed that religious education was essential, but it was no part of the State’s function to provide it. The Minister was accorded a vote of thanks for his address.