The Governor on our Education System.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3543, 4 May 1880, Page 2

The Governor on our Education System.

(Peb Pbess Association.)

Wellington, This day.

In his speech at the opening of the Normal Schools, Sir Hercules Robinson said he had Varefully observed the working of the education scheme here and in other countries. He thought the New Zealand scheme was admirable in general design, but defective in two details. It was he believed the most comprehensive, and ambitious scheme of free public instruction yet adopted'by' any country in the world, but he expressed a doubt whether the programme of primary instruction was not too varied, and likely to prove too costly. Whether, considering the very early age at which the majority of children were removed from school, the cramming them with instruction in such , a variety subjects, will not tend to lower the standard of efficiency in reading, writing and arithmetic, the objects of primary importance. They thus substitute a smattering of many subjects for a thoroughness in a few, and he was afaid that an attempt to provide machinery for supplying the whole youthful population of the colony with free education, of a varied and advanced character, embraced in the six standards, would entail upon the country an expenditure more heavy than could be borne. He expressed great regret that all the local sources of revenue, such as schoolrates and fees, were done away with. He thought that attendance should be made compulsory, and also that a small fee should be charged. He thought that the extent to which, moral training! is ignored in the national plan of education was to be regretted. -The compromise regarding the Bible reading adopted et Home and iv New South Wales he thought a wise one. He spoke strongly on this point, and quoted a number of authorities as to religion being the best foundation of morality. He concluded by saying : " I have thus stated to you frankly what appears to be the weak points in your educational scheme--namely: That it will entail a larger expenditure than the general revenue can well defray, without assistance from local sources; and that the course of instruction prescribed, fails to inculcate sufficiently the observance of those moral obligations which are essential to the welfare of society. (Loud applause.) With these exceptions, I think that your'scheme of national education is one of which any country might well feel proud, and it is being administered with an earnestness and an ability which is deserving of all praise.