CONTROL OF TECHNICAL WORK.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 October 1921, Page 4

CONTROL OF TECHNICAL WORK.

Jt has ]Jng been manifest that r.ome change was necessary in the administration of the highly important work connected with the technical branch of the Dominion’s educational system. At present the system of manual and tech-, nieal education involves a large annual expenditure, and though it aecumplishes a. certain amount of useful work it by no means attains the end in v.cw. In all branches of education there is inevitably an appreciable loss of direct results, but in the main it fulfils its object if given on the right lines. The essence of technical work is that it is a means to an end; it provides the theory at least of craftsmanship, yet before its benefits can be judged it has to be co-ordinated with practical work. The older generation of artisans looks askance at the technical schools, probably by reason of a lack of knowledge of the sphere of their operations, hence an ex-pupil is liable, on entering a workshop, to learn a trade, to have to jettison much that he has learned, and then to adapt himself to the methods of untutored yet practical members. Com-mon-sense requires that technical education should be co-ordinated with apprenticeship, and until this is done there will be more or less groping in the dark and the full benefit of the State’s educational system will not be apparent. Lt stands to reason that a youth who has obtained a thorough knowledge of the theory of the particular work he takes up as his vacation in life, ought to become a more proficient and intelligent operator than one who merely picks up the details of his trade by observation and a. limited amount of supervision but one of the great defects is that a pupil who learns quickly is handicapped by having to adapt his pace •to the rest of the class. The groat need for the success of technical centres of instruction is that they shall have the hearty co-oper-ation of employees, and if apprenticeship goes hand in hand with technical teaching, both will benefit materially. The fault of the present system is recognised. and if the administration is placed in the hands of men well qualified for the work a great step in advance will be made. The idea of having separate controlling authorities wherever a large technical school or college exists is certainly to be commended. Education boards have not the time to closely supervise manual and technical work, and the proposed reform may be welcomed as an earnest that the money spent on technical training will, in the future, be productive of far better results than in the past, but this will " only be possible by the co-operation of employers and making apprenticeship fit into the scheme.