PRIMARY EDUCATION

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 997, 13 June 1930, Page 8

PRIMARY EDUCATION

“PROGRESS TOO LEISURELY* SAYS DIRECTOR NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS Press .1 seocia fiora \\ ELLINGTON, Thursd^The view that progress in the lower classes in the N’ew Zealand primarr schools was much too leisurely was ex' pressed by Mr. T. B. Strong. Director of Education, in an address to th Council of Education today. In Australia, said Mr. Strong, the syllabus was much more comprehensive. Ho thought, however, that a considerable advance had been made in New Zealand in th© direction of giving the primary school teachers greater liberty, making the instruc. tion more practical, less formal, and giving due emphasis to the cultural side. In one aspect, however, it failed He had been led to that conclusion because his observations in Australia had confirmed the opinion that he had had held for some years. It was probably one of th© most important results of his visit abroad. Th© primary school syllabus appeared to fail because it did not provide a rapid enough advance from stag© to stage. While some classes had a reasonable amount of work to do. others were almost marking time for some time during the school year The point was a debatable one. Progress in the lower classes in the Zealand schools was much too leieurelv. It was a view he had expressed before, and which had met with considerable opposition. Mr. Strong said his own efforts to put more work on to the lower classes and so make room for a greater ad-’ vane© In the higher classes—the reaching of a higher standard of attainment in standard Vl.—had been opposed and he had had to give wav. Comparing the syllabus of todav with the syllabus of the past, he had always noted a tendency to take something out rather than to put something in. SYLLABUS NOT OVERCROWDED. There was a popular opinion that tho syllabus was overcrowded. He did not think it was overcrowded, and he was led to the conclusion that more could be done, particularly in the lower part of the school. It was a verv serious matter, and one that affected all branches of education in N'ew Zealand. from th© primary to the university. He thought it demanded verv close investigation. He was forced to the conclusion, from his observations in jS'ew South Wales and Victoria, that they did reach a higher standard of education in less time than did TCew Zealand.

Mr. Strong said he was well aware that that was an unpleasant criticism from him, for as a New Zealander he was proud of the New Zealand system. It was one of the weaknesses of the system, and they had to see to it. He proposed, next week, when all the inspectors of the Dominion met in conference, to Lako up the matter verv seriously with them. He had had tho subject in mind for a number of years, but had had no definite basis on which to found the opinion. He was more convinced, however, from his visit to Australia, that there wan some ground for the criticism lie had made. “It has become the fashion with some educationists in New Zealand to decry without ceasing our education system,” said Mr. Strong. “One of these at a recent meeting in Wellington is reported as saying; ‘We can pay too much for a system of education that is out of date such as ours is, as well as unsuited to the needs of New Zealand.’ “Professor CondUfTc, in his recently published book ‘New- Zealand in the Making,' is so ignorant of the New Zealand education system as to say that there has been practically no change in our schools since 1871. Statements like these are so absurd as to carry their own refutation. FINANCIAL NEEDS “I am not going to suggest that the New Zealand education system cannot bo improved. Judging by what I saw recently in Australia and by what I have read of systems in other countries, our own system can be improved, and if the people of New Zealand will provide the money they can have the improvements. ‘‘The Education Department know that staffs should be increased so that classes might be reduced in size; tha; old-fashioned buildings should be remodelled: that ‘opportunity* classes for dull pupils as well as ‘opportunity’ classes for brilliant pupils would increase our efficiency; that residentin: schools for children suffering special disabilities are needed; that then; is a wide field for useful work for school psychologists and psychiatrists; that our native schools should have a mor< definite industrial bias; that we should have a vocational guidance organisation; that the educational possibilities of wireless and the cinematograph should not be ignored: and that the aesthetic side of education should receive greater attention. But all these improvements would add very considerably to the education vote. "I certainly could, if I were allowed a free hand, effect considerable economies in the administrative field, but as my proposals touch vested interests they would not be popular in certain circles.”